Weeks 3 & 4 Highlights

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Our hymn for the past two weeks was "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms."  It's a good, solid hymn with an easy melody.  We've enjoyed it!

For Bible we've continued on with our Plan A James memorization schedule.  So far everyone has kept up and we are now up to verse 11.   The actual inductive study of the book of James is only scheduled every 4-5 weeks so we've added the book of Matthew for the in-between weeks.  No fancy study -- just reading through the text.  It's always a blessing to go through entire books of the Bible together.

History has been captivating to all.  We've studied Henry Hudson, Native Americans, Samuel Champlain, Captain John Smith and the founding of Jamestown, and we are now at the Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony.  There is so much to learn and so many videos and  books about the Pilgrims that we are camping out at week 4 for another week.   I have also added in the Evan-Moor History Pocket: Life in Plymouth Colony  for the girls.

This is how our wigwam craft turned out.

Our read-aloud, Almost Home, has been a valuable addition to this time period.  Our whole family treasures read-aloud nights!  This book is historical fiction based on the life of Mary Chilton, a Pilgrim girl on the Mayflower voyage to the New World.  It has truly brought to life the strength and resolve of the Pilgrims.  Grace likes to follow along with William Bradford's Of Plymouth Plantation to match up the book's  characters with his listing of individuals on the Mayflower.

A terrific online resource for us has been the Pilgrim Hall Museum.  Their exhibits include William Brewster's chair and chest brought over on the Mayflower, Miles Standish's rapier, the wicker cradle of Peregrine White, and many more interesting items.


We've been studying primates.  Monkeys and apes.  There is a lot more to know than I had previously thought!  And for fun we baked monkey bread!

Kayla also made a monkey snack for all of us.

First Grade has been coming along nicely.  We are continuing on in phonics, reading, and doing more with place value.

Homeschool Weeks 1 & 2

We have had a terrific start to our school year.  Exploration to 1850, from My Father's World, is going to 

be quite exciting!  One nice feature of the curriculum is that there is a supplement for younger grades so our little 1st grader can join in.  She has really enjoyed this.  We're just putting a little less effort into the First Grade science and having her join in with our study of the Animal Kingdom.  She is  still doing My Father's World First Grade for her Bible, phonics, math and reading. 

The first week we reviewed some history of the Vikings and explorers to the New World.

The Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria

Our continents of the world cake

 Reading about the Animal Kingdom during book basket time

Fun with pattern blocks

Continuing with Rosetta Stone Spanish

Every year we start out with a handwriting review.

A new hymn is scheduled every two weeks in the Teacher's Manual.  We have tried to be purposeful
with hymn study in the past, but were unsuccessful.  It's so nice to have it scheduled this year!  To make it even easier I copied the hymns and spiral bound them with a laminated cover.

 

We're continuing with both Singapore Math and the Emma Serl language arts books for 4th and 6th grade.  There were times I wanted to switch from both programs but now I am glad we stuck with them.  I understand the Singapore method now -- finally!  And the Intermediate Language Lessons book just keeps getting better and better.  The poetry selections are super.  Just the other day Jacob told me that he really enjoys Longfellow's poetry.  He didn't feel that two years ago, though.

For Bible this year we will be studying and  memorizing the entire book of James.  It seemed like an awful lot at first, but spread out over nine months it will be doable.  The First Grade program is a survey of the Bible.

Overall, I just feel more relaxed this year because I am more organized.  Each year I make mistakes and, thankfully, learn from them for the next year!  One thing that I am doing differently is breaking up the year into 6-week periods.  I've organized all of the timeline pieces and  notebooking pages for 6 weeks into a notebook with 6 folders.  Everything is at my fingertips!  I also have a card file box and little dividers for each week of the school year,  numbered from 1-31.

This is my favorite new idea and it's working very well.  I have a card for each subject and record everything we do and learn.  I can more easily keep track of the Spelling Power words, math drills, history and science topics and vocabulary, making reviewing each week much easier. 

Praising God for a great start to the school year!

(this post is linked to Homeschool Highlights in MFW at 2 Ladybugs and a Lizard.)