cultural celebrations :: a visitor from Germany

Our geography curriculum continues to be such an adventure as we make our way through Europe!  Famous people and places, interesting facts & information, excellent literature to read….I am pleased with this choice.  Winter Promise’s Children Around the World delivers big time.  While the curriculum provides for a weekly celebration of each country studied, we choose the ones of interest and which fit our schedule.

So when our study of Germany perfectly coincided with a long-awaited visit from my uncle, who has lived in this country over 20 years, the children and I were ecstatic!  We practiced Guten Tags, thought through a few question to ask, and thoroughly enjoyed our time.  I wasn’t about to attempt serving German food to a live person from the country, so simple conversation & American fare was the agenda for the evening!

Too busy wrapped up in conversation to tackle pictures of any food…. 

Several days later however, we did whip up a quick recipe for Blitzkuchen, a German spice cake.  SO simple, very light in comparison to American coffee cakes and now declared to be our favorite ‘tea cake’.  Yes, of course I’ll leave the recipe!

German Blitzkuchen 

1/2 stick butter

1 egg

2/3 cup milk

1-1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

pinch of salt

In a bowl, beat the butter, egg and milk together.  Sift all the other ingredients together into the bowl and beat until smooth.  Pour into an 8” square greased pan.  On the top, drop bits of butter and sprinkle with a little more sugar and cinnamon.  Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

And then, what’s a study on Germany without some sausage and pretzels, right!?

cultural celebrations :: a visitor from Germany

thanksgiving book bag for the family

For the little ones in your home or life ~

Give Thanks to the Lord :: told from the viewpoint of a young member of the family celebrating joys of all kinds

Thank You for Thanksgiving :: the fun rhyming text is great, also a wonderful way to tie together the holiday with the approach of Advent as the book emphasizes being grateful for the gift of Christ.

The Thanksgiving Bowl :: fun for preschoolers as well ~ travel throughout the year with this ‘lost’ bowl of grandma’s and see where it lands in the end!

Mary’s First Thanksgiving :: an inspirational story of gratefulness from a young Pilgrim girl’s talks with her father.



For the family or older children ~

An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving :: the March sisters live on!  Great family read-aloud or for older children.

The Legend of Squanto :: a Focus on the Family radio theatre CD that is excellent!  A story of triumph over tragedy that offers more of the Thanksgiving story.  We’re on our third year of listening to this audio!

Three Young Pilgrims :: just fine for younger children as well, this book details with lots of illustrations & beautiful map work the journey of Pilgrim children

Thanksgiving, A Time to Remember :: a family keepsake and wonderful gift idea!  Historical, detailing the quest of the Pilgrims and other facts.  Pages in the back to record your family’s gratefulness through the years and a CD of instrumental music make this book one to own, excellent!


   
    
    

thanksgiving book bag for the family

cultural celebrations :: A Spanish fiesta!

Okay yes, yes…I already know that all of the foods pictured above are not Spanish or having anything to do with Spain or even Mexico (though we’re not to the Americas for a while).  However, there is a long standing tradition in Spain, the focus of our studies recently along with Portugal, to enjoy food called tapas.

And oh, how we really like that idea!  Appetizers of any variety (from our understanding, nearly anything can be tapas), served on small plates and enjoyed with great conversation.  Sounds like a meal plan to me! 

Our menu ::

crackers & vegan ‘cream cheese’ topped with sweet pepper jelly

a layered bean dip w/tortilla chips

french bread pan-fried in olive oil and topped with bruschetta (our recipe is at the bottom of this post)

cocktail shrimp (a little bit found in the back of the freezer! :)

maple chicken drumsticks

Simple decor included a red tablecloth and leftover decorations from our twelve-year old’s birthday party three years ago (yes, we seem to keep stuff like this).  Though we had intended to add some Spanish or flamenco music in the background, I think we were more focused on the food than dinner music!  A fun evening indeed….

A few tidbits ::

did you hear about the bullfight weeks ago in Spain that ended up with a bull in the stands!? fortunately there were no fatalities & only minor injuries.

we took a look at the Spanish galleons, huge ships used by explorers and tradesmen in the past

and don’t forget the benefit of touring the world via the virtual globe Google Earth :: we’ve enjoyed visiting the landscape and famous places of each country

cultural celebrations :: A Spanish fiesta!

cultural celebrations :: an Irish festival

   

We should have been wearing a bit o’ green as well, right? 

The celebration of Ireland in our school studies included some good foods :: Irish soda bread (top picture, and we all decided the recipe is not a keeper :), good ole Irish stew with lots of potatoes (a staple in Ireland past and present) and apple cake!  Celtic music played in the background and after dinner we of course took in a bit of Riverdance via video.

My husband took the opportunity to tell the younger children of the Riverdance frenzy that took place in our home about nine years ago :: I can’t deny that it was all somewhat obsessive.  We even went to see the tour, which capped a long season of listening to the soundtrack, watching video clips and trying our own feet at fast-paced leg work (um, I am not good at Irish step dancing!).  Oh well!

A few sources used in our schooling ::

an interactive tour of the Irish Potato Famine of the 19th century

Ireland hosts the most unhygienic tourist attraction in the world, the Blarney Stone!  who wants to hang upside down to kiss a stone!?  The children found this hilarious.

this book found in our local library is short, full of pictures and helpful to understand the culture. 

 

Well, top of the morning to you! (a phrase thought to originate in Ireland, but actually it’s from New Zealand!)

cultural celebrations :: an Irish festival

cultural celebrations :: an English tea

The study of the United Kingdom of Great Britain (did you know this is the official name?) ended with a grand tea party as we make our way through the countries of Europe!  My, my…I do need to brush up on my geography and world history a bit; though I didn’t admit this fact to the girls, I think they caught on?

Naturally the girls (big & little) were all quite excited about this celebration as part of our curriculum; and the little boys in the house don’t know to not be thrilled about such a prim & proper event.  Dad on the other hand?  Well, he was a good sport until one of his children asked if we should all try to speak in a British accent…the man does have limitations!  Overall, it was a grand time.

Our menu ::

lemon poppy seed muffins with lemon glaze

sweet scones (that turned out a bit flat!) with homemade peach jam

maple ham & cucumber sandwiches

spinach & cheese cups

and lots of English tea!

A few resources that we used through this study ~ famous people, events or places ::

design an English garden (which can be printed out) 

read a Beatrix Potter story at this site or check a book out of the library

a few of us will be listening to this audio version of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol

our current read-aloud is about George Mueller, a great man of faith and courage; this version is great for young children as well

cultural celebrations :: an English tea

cultural celebrations :: the family

One of the aspects that completely sold me on our new geography curriculum this year is the fact that the schedule includes plans to celebrate on a regular basis the countries studied!  Should we choose (and we probably will not do them all), each week we’ll gather together to experience the food, customs, games, etc. of a particular region of the world.  Winter Promise calls this a ‘cultural celebration’ :: I love it!

The first one was to pause and celebrate our family.  Yes, the curriculum called for us to choose our favorite family meal, games, memories and such to be the focus; the children were quite excited.  But, deciding on our favorite food was not simple at all and I finally allowed one child to make the final decision.

I guess we are fairly globally-minded already because chicken curry over rice turned up as the choice :)  What a fun time of ‘remembering when’ as we recounted the years gone by and enjoyed some favorite games!

 

Pictures of the table setting or of the people might have been appropriate, right?  That didn’t happen.  Hmm…it’s all about the food.  Oh, well.  I will leave you with the recipe used :: maybe it will find it’s way to your family’s table!

Basic Meat Curry (with chop salad)

Saute in deep skillet:

2 T oil

sweet onion, chopped (as much as you’d like)

2 tsp minced garlic

Blend in a small bowl:

2 T lemon juice

2-4 tsp curry powder (depending on taste desired)

Stir curry mixture into sauteed onions and fry lightly 2-3 minutes.

Add:

1-1/2 lb cubed chicken breast (or beef, fish :: for a veggie version try white or black beans)

Stir briefly to coat meat with spices.

Add:

1 cup tomato juice

1 tsp salt

1 cup broth

Bring to boil, cover and simmer 1 hour.  Thicken slightly with flour before serving, if desired.  Serve over hot rice with chop salad (recipe below), coconut, pumpkin or sunflower seeds, peanuts or raisins.  Freezes well. Serves about 4-6.

Chop Salad

Chop into bite size pieces and combine in a bowl:

3 peppers: red, orange & yellow (if I have this, it gets put in.  if not, moving on…)

1 long cucumber

3 green onions

1 pkg. grape tomatoes

Mix dressing and pour over all:

3 TBsp vinegar

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

dash of pepper

Stir well and chill several hours.

cultural celebrations :: the family

school days again!

Our homeschool year is underway, starting with 1/2 days in August, slowly adding subjects and we’re about to head full scale next week.  Exciting days, the first days of schooling.  New supplies, fresh curriculum choices, a Mama full of ideas for the year, children thrilled with the plans ~ we’re experiencing it all and soaking it in (because there will be days we will not all be so happy, but let’s not focus on that right now okay? :)

Each year we prayerfully consider the focus and direction for each child, including also what God is speaking to us as a whole family.  Homeschooling (and in general all parenting regardless of school choice) takes this kind of discernment ~ to step back and evaluate where you’re headed and how to get there.

Last spring several things happened that caused us as parents to pause and take notice:: our kiddos as a group were becoming captivated by one main subject ~ the world we live in.  Books on the topic were read, maps were being drawn, a talking globe received as a present was played with quite often (so often it got a bit annoying at times!), and questions were asked by a certain almost 12-yr old which led to some great conversations about people groups, resources available to those people, missionaries, etc.

So we had a ‘aha’ moment when thinking through the plans for this year ~ let’s travel the world!  Alright, not literally, but through our year :: let’s learn more about the people of the world, the customs & culture of various countries, the music, language, weather and similarities or differences compared to our own.  To say that I was pumped about the idea is an understatement.  And so, I decided to write our own curriculum :: hurray!

NOT.

After only about a few days of research last May, it became apparent that this was not the season to take on such a task.  We were and still are in transition as a family and I had just written some of last year’s curriculum ~ a break was definitely in order.  Sooo….the hunt for what we would use became the focus and we landed on a wonderful, wonderful choice :: Winter Promise’s Children Around the World.  Let me tell you, this could not be a better fit!

Having never used a boxed curriculum before, I was concerned if this would flow with my style of teaching, a very odd mix of Charlotte Mason likeness, unschooling (yes, I’m admitting to this!) and some classical ed thrown in for good measure, so weird I know.  While we have firm & even ‘high’ academic goals, our approach is much different & more relaxed than that of conventional schooling since we’re focusing on other aspects of our children as well :: so far, it’s working beautifully. 

However, my qualms are settled about an all-in-one curriculum and I am very appreciative of the fact that everything is set up for me including lessons plans for both girls and age-appropriate assignments :: yes!  We’ve added math and a little extra language/grammar focus, that’s it.   All else will be through this geography curriculum.

We are having SO much fun already!  Being from a Christian perspective, Children Around the World also focuses on missionary work past and present, how to specifically pray for areas of our world and much more.  All of the books (lots of great books!) and materials (journals, maps, worksheets, etc.) were included :: I am grateful indeed. 

It’s going to be a fabulous year!  I’ll be sure to write more….

school days again!

thinking ahead

Another year of home educating is coming to a close, and this Mama finds it a little bittersweet.

My second girl is wrapping up elementary school and it’s hard to believe that seventh grade is right around the corner!  Okay, we do have the summer in between…but wow.  Girl number three closes the door on first grade and the little boy born just ‘yesterday’ is joyfully looking forward to next year, and the next year, and the next year…

And so it goes.

I should be excited that they are all so thrilled with homeschooling—I am too and right now can’t imagine another road to travel.  Had you asked me about six weeks ago I probably would have had a different answer though!  We have our days.  In the next few weeks I hope to write a little here and there about our year, so we can remember and give thanks.

Plans have begun floating around in my head for next year—plotting and thinking through what our days will hold and how it will work together (the baby will NOT be a sleeping infant but a toddling little boy).  But first, warmer months are coming and we’re all looking forward to a break and some new activities!

To all other homeschoolers out there….a happy ending to your year (whenever that may be)!

A few treats before you go~

Have you been to Simple Homeschool’s site yet?  It’s a new community and very informative.

A suggestion on how to organize homeschool days :: seek to scale seven daily rungs on the ladder

The best book on educating children that I have read so far :: this one is dog-eared, underlined and highlighted throughout!

And here’s a post that’s not necessarily about homeschooling, but on living life on purpose—deliberately, intentionally.  Great for homeschooling Mamas don’t you think?

 

photo credit

thinking ahead

homeschool update

The children have declared that I do not write as much about their schooling as I used to.  They’re right.  When we had a ‘school’ blog, much of their accomplishments and activities were recorded with consistency.  Ahem.  A few family members have noticed as well.  So I’m guilty.

Here’s a little bit of a picture update~

:: Jordyn recently took a class for 1st-3rd graders at a local art school and loved it.  She is now teaching the rest of us the finer points of watercolors, Monet, and drawing.  Photos are from the art show held for parents & family; the top~ both works of art are hers; the bottom~ the one in the middle is hers.

:: Josiah working on building up those fine motor muscles with clothespins and starting a low-key introduction to simple addition (the worksheets are not for him :o).  We also use these cards (one for each number zero to ten) to line up the numbers in order smallest to biggest or vice versa. 

:: Jordyn & Josiah’s recent ‘science experiment’!  Which one melts faster—ice in the cold outside or ice in the sunlight on our windowsill?  Waiting and timing the whole thing and then writing down our results.  The reason for a sudden interest in doing an experiment….

 

…was because big sister Janelle was busy doing her own science project for a class. 

I have to tell you that homeschooling can really stretch you :: when my child is interested in a subject—extracting DNA—that is foreign to me, well, it’s time to dig deeper!  I am grateful for the internet. 

The whole process is explained here and we really had fun figuring out how to get the DNA of split-peas out; then using various mediums to open the nucleus of the cells to see which would produce the most DNA.  Are you confused yet?  My girl knew what she was talking about though I had to catch up.  Now, I’m informed!

Sorry for the poor picture, but the stringy white stuff floating on top of the green pea mixture at the bottom is the DNA!  Watching her excitement made the process worth it.

 

 

And the littlest one is working on being cute.  Making faces, smiling, laughing, babbling. 

Good stuff and entertaining to us all!

homeschool update

morning basket

Children scurry, moving quickly through morning responsibilities :: brush teeth, get dressed, make beds and such. We all prepare our bodies, minds, and yes our hearts for the event ahead.

It’s ‘morning basket time’ as the little ones in our home are now fond of calling this daily devotional portion of our day. The oldest girl lights the candles, there is a sense of anticipation and hush {well, almost!} and we begin with prayer. As breakfast around the table continues, we pause to spiritually fuel-up for our day.

Morning basket time has become a special highlight.





The idea is simple. Gather several devotional resources we own, place in a basket close by the table, and use often. What an easy organizational tool! Before, the materials used were around the house on different bookshelves and I often forgot we owned them or couldn’t quickly locate a certain book when needed.

So now we come together, a variety of books at our fingertips and visually available to me often so that I can plan accordingly for our week. We take about a 1/2 hr to complete morning basket gathering. Other times it’s been shorter because we are leaving the house earlier or at rare times it’s been a bit longer. The children have enjoyed more structure to our devotions. I think it has to do with the candles, really :: they’re mesmerized by the light.

Our time consists of:

Opening Prayer~thanking the Lord for the day He has given, usually by one of the children

Focus for the Day reading~I plan ahead and choose a selection for each day. Right now in our basket are these resources, some of our favorites representing the various ages in our home:

• NIV Bible
• Hymns for a Kid’s Heart ~ a great series of song books with the story of how each hymn came to be
• A copy of A Catechism for Boys and Girls ~ did you catch Josiah about a year ago answering these questions? It’s still our favorite video of him to watch!
• Training Hearts, Teaching Minds ~ a bit deeper information on the catechism for our older daughter
• Trial and Triumph ~ church history stories
• God’s Wisdom for Little Boys
• God’s Wisdom for Little Girls
• Names of our Father ~ to encourage an understanding of the various names of God
• A Child’s Book of Character Building ~ a new resource to us that is wonderful! Short stories on a variety of biblical character traits. I appreciate the variety, for example last week we read about diligence in the home, diligence at play and diligence in the Bible.
• The Big Picture Story Bible ~ the children love this Bible! The story of God’s redemption is weaved for them from the fall to Christ’s return. Before this we had not owned a children’s Bible that created this perspective for kids. It reads as one long story, which of course it is!
• Sophie and Sam, When to Say ‘Yes’ & ‘No’ ~ a rhyming text resource, excellent for preschoolers.
• The children’s gratitude journals (photo here) ~ this year I’ve decided to begin our kids on a habit that has truly changed my everyday mindset and attitude :: listing the gifts that abound. For our 3-year old, I’ll write, he’ll draw and the older girls can do their own.
• Windows on the World ~ keeping a global prayer perspective
• AWANA books ~ all three kiddos are involved in this weekly Bible club & we work on memorizing the scriptures

We do NOT use all of these resources every day or even each week, but they are available, reminding me to plan them in. After reading, we continue on with….

Celebrations~anything exciting to report! :: family happenings & such. Or we’ll use this time to work on gratitude journals.

Prayer Requests~ for ourselves or others, praying for those around the world or taking time to pray for the child in India we sponsor through Gospel for Asia.

Closing Prayer~ and blow out the candles :o)

How I love this! A simple tool of placing all resources in a primary location can be used for anyone & for any age group, including adults. Try it out in your home?
  
  
  

morning basket

another school year

Though the time has already come for many homeschooling families we know, and the big yellow bus has been seen down the street for several of our neighbors' children…our family is gearing up for another school year that will commence {I love that word!} next week. I hope.

That’s just a joke, we really are anticipating a new journey and the unfolding of another year of learning and making memories. This week has been filled with trying out some new routines for the children & implementing new bedtimes and wake-up times~we’re rusty on these! We also worked on decorating fresh journals for our Bible time :: I’ll describe these in another post.

Homeschooling has been such a blessing to our family! I’m not of the persuasion that it’s best for every family unit and we did not always think this path was the right one to travel. Now, I describe homeschooling as God’s provision for us, the manna that will sustain the type of family life we desire to pursue in the middle of also trying to live out other visions God has ordained. Bread from His hand, truly.

Our responsibilities stretch us and require quite a bit from both my husband and I :: yet we enjoy abundant, rich family times and what I would describe as strong relationships with our children. Sure, we are improving and growing as parents, but I have very little regrets when it comes to time with our kids—they are a priority. I’m not bragging, just explaining how homeschooling has fit so nicely into our lives. We have lots of time together and flexibility to work around Dad’s schedule so that field trips or outings can include him as well.

Oh, don’t get me wrong…it’s hard work. Anything of great value requires sacrifice; isn’t that just a principle of life? Yes, it’s at times an overwhelming pursuit and journey, but I’m simply blown away by the rewards we have experienced already.

So here we go into another year!

another school year

nature study :: milkweed

One exciting aspect of homeschooling is that I can learn alongside of my children! I am quite content with the fact that I don't have to know everything, and the information is out there as we need it. So when we recently acquired another treasure for our nature table, I was a little stumped in explaining the new beauty to the children.

"So, you guys, it's milkweed." Said in a tentative tone.

"Is it dead?"

"Does it make milk like a cow? Can I drink it?"

"Why is this one empty and this one full...what's in here by the way!?"

"Where can we find it? Is it in our backyard?"

After a few questions, it was obvious that Mama didn't know enough. Promising to have more answers in 15 minutes, I hopped online while they played. Score!

:: videos on YouTube--an excellent three part series all on the milkweed plant in various seasons {each one is around 5 minutes}. My 10-yr old thought it too funny that each one begins with 'hey guys...'.

:: a great explanation of the relationship between monarch butterflies and the milkweed plant. Scroll to page 3 for info specifically on milkweed.

:: we found a page in our Fun With Nature book that offered info on milkweed bugs, which are now hibernating, so we'll look for them in Spring {click on the picture for a larger view}.

:: then we shared our own observations--

What does the outside feel like? {coconut shells--Jordyn, age 5}

How about the seeds inside? {my soft bear and blue blanket--Josiah, almost 3}

Josiah was quite fascinated with the fact that the seeds can fly and proceeded to take a handful and throw them 'HIGH UP IN THE AIR MOMMY!'. A soft landing:

which of course led to a quick discussion on how seeds get around :: dandelion and milkweed seeds have the common factor of the wind aiding their travels.

Whew. Hooray for the Internet!

And while I didn't know the ins and outs concerning the biology of the milkweed plant, I do have a fabulous craft idea brewing for those dried out pods. Now that I have no problem figuring out!

nature study :: milkweed

let's talk music!

a gratitude note sent to my parents recently--

134. for the many years of transporting my sisters and I to music lessons

135. attending concerts, recitals, music competitions and numerous rehearsals

136. encouragement to practice and to keep trying

137. for the financial commitment

a rich investment of their time & resources that has reaped many rewards:

138. fun, fun!--music was the 'sport' in our household, there was always someone practicing

139. the ability to take what I learned and to teach piano, violin and voice for twelve years....

140. ....a great supplement to our household income without leaving my home! {I have fond memories of my children sleeping in a baby carrier by the piano or in my arms while I taught}

141. I appreciate most the opportunity and the skill to teach my own children

In our home are new instruments! We already own a piano, violin, flute, and guitar---and we added a cello and another two violins {all rented for now}. Of course, our voices are instruments as well. I'm a big advocate of music education for children and well, just about anybody who wants to learn! There are so many benefits and learning to sing or play can be a life-long hobby.

Teaching music can sometimes be an intimidating pursuit for homeschooling parents :: I can definitely sympathize as other subjects fit that description for me! I do believe though that the effort to make room for this area is a great gift to any child.

Long before formal music lessons, here are a few ways to encourage music awareness and education with your children:

• listen to all varieties of music together including instrumentals, solo vocals, classical, jazz, music from various eras, or those from other cultures—I suggest Putumayo World Music for Kids CDs, which may be at your library.
  
• train your child’s ear for music! Point out the differences in pitch (high/low sounds), tempo (fast/slow) and dynamics (loud/soft) in any kind of sounds or music you hear.


• take your child to see real people playing real instruments. Find free concerts at local colleges & churches--check the newspaper. This is a great way to expose your child to uncommon instruments, such as the harp. You don’t have to stay for the whole concert!


• read books about music and various instruments, the band or orchestra or listen to audio tapes on the lives of composers—I recommend the Classical Kids CDs and you can listen for free here which also has bios on each composer. Oh, try here too!


• encourage your child to sing! Their voice is an instrument that you don’t have to pay for!

I'll post more on music lessons another day.....

let's talk music!

election day travels

For a visit to my in-laws!

Actually, my husband has a conference to speak at about 1/2 hr away from his parents. So, we're heading up further north and will leave the cherubs with them while we spend a few days surrounded by adult conversation, thought-provoking focus on education and uninterrupted meals! I do enjoy my children's company and I'm looking forward to allowing my in-laws to enjoy their company as well {grin, grin}.

And to be completely honest, their grandparents are quite happy to have me out of the picture :: a little more freedom for them as they love on & spoil a bit their 4 out of 5 grandchildren. I'm okay with that.

Happy Election Day! Consider a study on civics, government or presidents for your older ones:

The book D is for Democracy is excellent & covers many topics such as the election process, the constitution, the 3 branches of government, etc. A free study guide on this book can be found here.

Allow your child to vote today in the National Mock Election for Kids!
Track results tonight with this worksheet.

Compare & contrast some elements of the first inaugural address by Washington with the upcoming one this January. Use a Venn diagram to record observations. Use the same diagram to compare & contrast political parties.

Make your own election lapbook.

Browse and explore these sites: Ben's Guide to the US Government, Congress for Kids

Most importantly, share how God can direct the heart of a leader, any leader of a nation, for His purposes. Even difficult and obstinate ones such as the Pharaoh of Moses' day; and the ones who desired to do His will such as King Josiah or King David. So, we can trust in God more than we trust in man.

There are many more ideas and links out in cyber world I'm sure :: enjoy your week, I'll be back in this space this weekend.

election day travels

new books!

Along with ministry & service to our local church, my husband also serves as an educational consultant to private schools :: working with administrators, teachers & other staff. One of the blessings through the years is that we've often received free curriculum and other educational items. This time it was several boxes of books from a school that was closing. To say the children and I are excited is an understatement!

I will list titles in my sidebar of books we're enjoying so that you can check them out for the little ones in your life. And, here's a few of our favorite places online for books:

Big Universe :: full screen online books, hundreds of choices for when you may not have at home a title on a particular subject.

1000 Good Books List :: a great place to find wonderful titles for pre-schoolers to high schoolers, because there's nothing like cuddling up in bed or on the couch with an engaging book!

The Rosetta Project :: a sweet site of online & audio vintage children's books

Kids Learn Out Loud :: a few free audio books and many for purchase--on topics from literature to math to politics; we've found famous speeches here

Also, your favorite authors may have a site for activities that match their books. Ex: Jan Brett's site and her books.

Happy Reading!

new books!

focus & balance :: homeschooling

Being cooped up in the hospital gave me plenty of time to think :: well, after my hyper-from-the-meds two year-old settled down for a nap!

Each year of homeschooling I ask God to give me a focus, a word of encouragement that would be tucked away and be a rallying point throughout the year. In the past there have been encouragements to 'love them lavishly' or 'explore more of who they are' or even specifics on certain subjects. So this year I was a tiny bit unsettled starting our year without a fresh & new focus, but I simply waited on Him. Okay, a tad impatiently, but I did wait.

Homeschooling was really the last thing on my mind while waiting for my little guy's lungs to settle, so when the encouragement came during prayer to 'teach the basics well', I almost missed it! Now I know that doesn't sound profound, however I've also learned that the hardest thing for a homeschooling Mama to do is...well...

....to stay home.

There are so many great activities & exciting classes to participate in, and we do a little of those since they provide for a variety of needs that we deem important. Oh, but it's too easy to become distracted! And each year or even each semester, I feel the tug. So I am grateful for the 'holy reminder' to make the basics the highlight, the big deal. As I think through this more, you may hear additional thoughts on the topic!

photo credit: stock.xchnge

focus & balance :: homeschooling

animals, animals!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

About two weeks ago, a zoo one state over had free admission for the day and another homeschooling friend and I packed kiddos, drinks, food, map & excitement into one van and made the 40 minute trip down. What fun we had!

animals, animals!

mouse paint

When I taught pre-school, it was always a bit amusing when we had a focus on colors and parents would start in a little tentatively: "But, my son already knows his colors!" or "If they can identify the colors, will you be able to do anymore with that topic?...I mean, they are just pre-schoolers."

Well, I was always glad they asked!

Josiah is enjoying colors right now, and yes, he could identify them quite a while ago. This particular day we mixed colors and used the adorable book Mouse Paint to read & work with. Using white muffin liners {as the 'mice'}, white paper and food coloring, we mixed away to form new colors as we read through the book.

And, here are a few other options of questions to explore with pre-schoolers:

what happens when we mix {red,blue}, {red, yellow}, etc?

do you see the color_____ in this room? on your clothes? {play I Spy}

what do we eat that is yellow? green? purple? {or take them to the fridge or grocery store to explore this one}

what colors can we find outside? this nature box idea is a great one for this :: try using nature items to make colors to paint with.

share about how God created colors :: read the story of Creation in Genesis and think about the colors that God saw {I've used a pile of different color construction paper & let the child choose which colors match as I read--black for darkness covering the earth, white for stars, yellow for sun, etc.}

share about how colors help us {makes things beautiful, helps to enjoy our world}. inform that some people cannot see colors and everything is shades of black & white.

talk about rainbows

share how our world changes colors :: seasonal changes {ex: leaves, snow blanketing everything in white} or also talk about animals that change color and do a mini-study on camouflage

have your child sort colors :: using pom-poms, buttons, skittles! or other items, have them pile all of the same colors together

use the above items to make either two-color patterns or if your child is ready, three-color patterns {ex: red, blue, red, blue or yellow, red, green...yellow, red, green...}. have them guess which color is next in the pattern

Oh, the list is endless! Have fun and enjoy colors all around.

mouse paint

link of the week

Spelling City

Type in your own spelling list or use one of theirs. The web site will teach the words, saying them audibly and using them in a sentence; will also provide games & puzzles and 'test' and grade your child if wanted. You can then print out a report of the test.

For now, we're not doing regular spelling lessons (word list, test at the end of the week, etc.), but I will use this site for words that seem to be missed often. Check it out, it's fun!

link of the week

Pizza Rewards

To go along with day 20 of the food theme....

Homeschool families can now enroll individually with Pizza Hut's popular Book-It reading program; it's very easy to enroll online and the site has information about the program if you're new to it.

Pizza Rewards