Good Morning Math

Student loves to begin her day with such numbers and logic.

We compared and contrasted inches, feet & yards. Not locating our yard stick, we pulled out the roller-cutting mat and measured many Homeschool findings:

fabric flower

scrap fabric

Toddler's robot

books

chairs

Student did well deciding which tool to use in each case.

Her new fav game, is virtual quilting! She had the idea for looking up such a game,

and WOW if we didn't locate an awesome one!

This parallels with her symmetry learning in Math just grandly!

And as though we didn't already testify to God's perfect timing,

Gramma Es Tu brought some applique´ blocks in the boxes of fabric she gifted us this week!

This pretty block offered Student the opportunity to use yarn, pink of course, and identify all the lines of symmetry. Thanks, Gramma Es Tu.

What about that solo recital coming up? Student continues practice, and is learning some music symbols in the meantime. Mrs. S also worked on clapping familiar rhythms from Twinkle. Student was called a "Good listener!" several times throughout their game. She truly treasures their lesson time.

Student baked, mixing and measuring all-by-herself, while Mascot nursed. None other than: banana-chocolate chip muffins. Her life skills were working quite well on their own, before Teacher rushed the process and added 1 cup too much flour! Forgive me, bowing out is hard to do! As an adult with a constant eye on the clock, we can be reminded of life's simple beauty from above when observing the time schedule of a child.

Well, Student and Teacher gifted a half dozen to Mrs. S and her family for her husband's birthday. HAPPY BDAY MR.S!

Digging out the sculpty from the craft cabinet today, Student and Toddler began their Map activity in Geography. Flattening, texturizing, and cutting 2 continents, Student quickly asked to finish the project tomorrow!

"This clay is too hard. I can't mash it...

Ok, here's Australia and South America, and half of Antarctica. Is that all for today?"

Cursive came and went in the form of the 12 months. Student wrote the names of the months each on a flashcard, and mixed them up. She enjoyed singing her months-of-the-year song and placing them in order. Now, to find a song about the hours of the day!

Welcome Snow, Welcome Monday

Monday and the season's first snow! Try to convince Toddler that it is NOT Christmas...good thing the snow melted as it hit the ground. So, Fall semester continues...

The newest interest from the game cabinet is STRATEGO.

Principal loves this game, and has since he was a boy. Student began playing this past weekend. Pairing her with Toddler, the testosterone began to fill the air...

"I'm going to kill your soldier!" he shouted with his fist raised.

"Ah, ha ha ha...BOMB!" he snorted with his chest exposed.

Meanwhile, Student just sat, quietly keeping track of moves in her mind, and fully enveloped herself in the strategy of capturing Toddler's flag. Her lady-like scheming was oh-so-familiar! Before too long...the room was less crowded.

And so flows the hormones at Homeschool today. Toddler ended up trying his fine-motor-skills at OPERATION.

And another thank you to Mrs. S for coming to Homeschool to conduct violin lesson.

As she is always a treat to meet with, the way her brain can blossom in every environment was truly encouraging. They carried on like it was a normal session...this may become our practices for the winter, so praise God it is working! Toddler was napping during lesson today, so Teacher even had the opportunity play while Mascot was swinging to sleep!

Reading through Grimm's Fairy Tales, thanks Grandmother for gifting me this extraordinary book 20 years ago on my 10th birthday, our cuddle and read session brought Rose Bud AKA: Sleeping Beuaty to life! Student learned some vocabulary terms:

"...lamented the fairy's gift."

"...plucked the foul."

Yes, I know how to pluck...and when she tried to guess what foul meant, we used the poultry clue, and popped right up with the right answer. "...plucked the feathers!"

Cursive and Language seatwork was done. Student is working on remembering the capital letters, and end punctuation. She tires of this process early on, and her sentences are often left in the middle...so hard to have patience. Wonder where she got this?

History from I Samuel, chapters 4-10. We practiced being oxen and a wagon, like the one carrying the Ark of the Covenant...and both Student and Toddler have heads that are still in-tact!

We reviewed vocab words and added 2 new ones and Student's guess of the definitions:

Predict: to say something will happen

Plague: to come over some people, a bad thing

Student: My favorite vocabulary word this time is EFFORT! I just think about how God says do your best effort in trying to obey. Sometimes we stumble, but it reminds me not to give up. Persevere.

Field Trip Friday

Yes, today is Friday and Field Trip day! Being that Grammie is such a superstar, she is picking Student up after our field trip. We braved the 43 degree weather and boy did we have fun with our friends in the wind and cold! We shall have pictures to share soon...

So, here are the images from our field trip last weekend: Pumpkin Patch Power!

And Suzuki progression video! Filmed in another fun effect from Student's beloved Imac. Video includes her beloved Toddler...though she may call him other names at times! What lessons we learn with the blessing of siblings!

Fall Labor

Let words of our mouth be acceptable in His sight... and so we say THANKS to the Creator that gifted us this Autumn day of homeschool!

Truly, the breeze was an honest hurricane-strength on our 2 mile ride today. Toddler's bike was blown over and as he cried about it, he was stumbling away by the force of the gust! All the while, Student sang and super-sonic peddled through it all!

Good ol' Mid-West wind. It didn't keep us from loading 7 wheel-barrows full of leaves and dumping them in the neighbor's compost pile. It didn't keep us from spending a barefoot hour at the park. It didn't keep us from scheduling Toddler's dream field trip for this Friday. It didn't keep us from homeschooling.

The time spent inside resulted in Student's artful creation from stencils she located by surprise in the craft cabinet! She was to take a picture to post, and she discovered some crazy background on the computer that brought her picture to life! She is an imac girl, all the way! Principal would be so proud.

Student has been more apt to practice Suzuki violin with the fun lyrics we found in our online search! Again, anything royalty-related is a-okay with her.

Seatwork settled us down in the evening. Math, Phonics, History and Geography. It's just that keeping track of our work here is much easier than keeping a separate log. So forgive the repetition, and give props for the bright ideas developed by procrastination!

Student: Our Friday Field Trip, I wanted to go to the train, and we are!

Renew

So, Student asked for a change. Change, who doesn't want it? So fresh and new.

And, she designed the new header on her blog...until the Principal gets ahold of it and can upgrade colors, this is what we creatively came up with! Good ol' Designing Principals!

Violin practice continues on Go Tell Aunt Rhody! Suzuki practice fun in the following video!

Math brought speed drills and another test. Check.

Done and oh-so-well!

As for our Calendar work and dime focus today, Toddler wanted in on the hands-on activities, so it was a little rough for Student to focus. But she is certainly being taught patience and attention-among-distraction skill! Where will she ever use such life skills! :)

Cursive connecting and History meshed well today. Student picked her 6 words from our studies.

Geography focus on maps brought continent and ocean educating! We knew that wall-covering map from Mrs. Lois would be good for more than decorating someday!

Student was on pet duty today, as Alazandra needed her tank cleaned. Well, thank us that we spared the pictured because that fish was living in one polluted environment!

Student: I didn't know I was going to clean today. I think she likes a clean tank. I helped pour the water. She almost didn't go into the cup! She did.

Columbus Day

Wonder how many posts are titled as ours is today? Many people we ran into today, as it was our out-and-about Monday, didn't know it was Columbus Day! That's when you know you are a teacher, when holidays that don't mean a day off are still noted!

Our trek to the library was in the four-wheeled vehicle today. Our temperatures keep dropping, and the bikes are seeing less sunshine. Toddler especially is bothered by this. But with gloves and hats, almost anything can be enjoyed on a cool Fall day! And so we bundled and rode the afternoon away!

Happy Columbus Day for us, meant an old school Columbus cartoon, and paper boats! Well, in the folding instructions it was a hat before it was a boat, and Student couldn't resist! So, on the head it went!

And did we say what a joyous and fancy event this folding was? Student enjoys Fancy Nancy, and we were sure that her boat would have nothing less fancy than sequins, and so Student took the lead with the glue and all!

Seatwork in Math was prompted from Student telling Principal that we weren't doing Math right now! Yikes, nothing new, that is. So, he slammed his gavel and let us know that review is practice well worth her time!

Again, the mascot sleeps in his swing, and we continue on our best with homeschool. As we are so blessed to attempt this adventure to bring Him glory, our eyes stay fixed on the prize!

Planning and Preparation?

"This lovely cake calls for care in preparation.

Plan your baking and assembling steps in advance

and the result is a gorgeous, delicious cake." says the recipe...

Does this sound like a possibility in homeschool today? not likely. As for planning and preparation, those words haven't been in our vocabulary studies, yet. Thus, we aren't liable! Hopefully we will be able to taste Princess Cake at the festival this weekend. That is if the current forecast is incorrect: flurries and 30 degree weather!!!

Also on the Swedish food list was cinnamon rolls! So, our Life Skills were quite sweet today. And to add a touch of Student to them, we made butterfly cinnamon rolls! Here they are ready to rise for an hour and a half!

Our violin review was prompted by our leaving book 1 in the van that Dad took to work! Good ol' Principal cannot stay at homeschool with us, but he'll be proud to know that we fit in a practice anyway. We'll be working on the new song this weekend! Too bad for Toddler, we're not done just yet!

For our Friday fun, we pulled out bingo and worked with Toddler on his colors, hand-eye coordination and characters from Dora...what else does any child need to know? Seriously, we had suckers for prizes so all was good in the end!

Requested by Student, when we made our to-do list this morning, we finished Exodus today in History. And this is what she said:

I want to read about Balaam's donkey, but that is for Monday.

Toddler: They were praying. Can I print that? I just want to print it!

Tuesday Tuning

Actually, we didn't, but should have. Student has learned the complete Song of the Wind...so here goes, without tuning but with much effort!

Why homeschool, we ask ourselves some mornings? On with our efforts, to God be the glory! Afterall, everything we do with our hands, do with all our might! Thanks to Him for establishing the work of our hands.

Homeschool began with our first attempt of a scheduled start-time since our family's addition, and because of Our caring Father in heaven, we began on time! Starting with a self-lead Art project, Student began her day with one of her favorite subjects.

On we moved to work more with place value in Math. Review of these concepts and added seatwork, Math was complete.

For language, we added some suffixes to our list. And continuing in poetry, Student and I read a highly recommended book o' rhymes: I Never Saw a Purple Cow and Other Nonsense Rhymes. Student had the opportunity to write an animal poem of her own:

Ther Was a Zebra

Ther was a zebra. That was funny and ate alat. It's a speshl zebra.

More review from our Genesis vocabulary. We have finished Genesis, in History, and will have our vocab test at the end of the week.

Mid-Week Counting

Can there be any warmer place than holding a newborn? What a perfectly cuddly place to read! Beginning with our Library book recommended by Tonya: The Little Wooden Farmer, Student listened with the new addition in her lap. This Dutch farmer has no animals and he and his wife decide to get some, and thus the tale begins! Sweet illustrations and mandalas throughout keep the folk tale lively and true to it's Swedish style.

Cursive smiles keep coming! Student has a new favorite subject! Continuing on, we are finishing up with the letter "R".

History has come to Egypt! We read the introduction to life in Egypt and continued with the life of Joseph.

Math was reviewing counting. Backwards, forwards, skip-counting and place value. I think Student will be dreaming numbers tonight, I know I will!

Speedy practice of violin. Getting faster with each song, Student loves learning something new and so she looks forward to her next lesson with Mrs. S.

Happy Wednesday: Awana day!

Happy Painting

CORRECTION: not 1-D, but 2-D...next time I'll ask the artistic principal FIRST!
Reading has become an ordinary event, with less and less struggling and question. Student has truly soared in her phonics and belief in being able to conquer bigger words! Way to go Student!

History is inching us into Egypt. When Student saw the illustration for our lesson from Genesis today, she was just counting down the minutes until she had the opportunity to draw her own 2-D picture from our lesson on Joseph today.

Our vocabulary words:

seduce

objection

2-D

Yes, this is child-friendly history, but introduction to such words makes for great girl-talk and understanding the evils present in our world still today. She understands that God created family and marriage, and this holy union is under attack. She truly has such a loyalty and understanding of such since she watched Fireproof. Oh, what these amazing child brains can sort out!

Letter by letter, we are now through "L" in our cursive lessons. Student has been creating all the words she can, connecting letters to create words from the letters she has already learned. You know, loopy versions of:

cab, dad, lab, jab, bad, dat...no she hasn't learned scat, for music appreciation, but it sounds like it!

Testing in Math proved that she is learning right along, and still wondering why the tests are so easy. Yes, someday it may not be so, but I bask in this love she has for Math, and thank her Dad for that trait. God is good to create brains that understand Math, as I know that mine doesn't.

Violin practice was done with the puzzle method, and am I glad that her excitement lasted the whole session.

Whew!

Fall Fest, here we come!

Student: It is fun that the first day of Fall is now!

I made Potiphar's wife with her head turned away because she didn't listen to Joseph when he objected.

Goodbye Space

Bittersweetness for us, but alas, we have to depart. Not for space, but rather, from space. Our unit is complete and we will be sending out email invites out during our Fall Break for our Space Open House. Student kindly asked for "scripts" today when I reminded her that it would be her job to tell about her projects and learning! What a kid!

Also along the lines of completion, we are 5 lessons away from finishing Genesis in History. Today was a grand story of a wedding, right along Student's royal liking! Soon, we will continue onto Exodus, with our focus of Egyptian culture.

Our pledge to the flags and The Holy Bible have become such an entertainment! Toddler has been practicing for Awana that begins next week! Student is such a sweet teacher, too. We are so glad to have the opportunity to live in a country that gives us the freedoms to serve our God and our country.

Today's blessing came with the name of Jo. She surprised Student and took her away to an afternoon of girl-time!

Violin in our afternoon and creating more flashcards for Math, this has been our homeschool day!

Student's Take: It was fun, I didn't even know I was going to go out with Jo! We played at the park. Then we went to the store and got a snack. Then we went to her house & played dress-up. And then it was time to go. I went home.

Violin Fun

Because there are days that God sends His little interruptions, as a teacher, one must let go of rigid schedules. What blessings we have come to know already this week! Friends stopping by offering blessings, prayers and filling needs! Praise be to God!

This Autumn air has been welcomed with much bicycling today! Both Student and Toddler have peddled there way into the breeze.

As for our studies, violin was a FUN focus today, as Student is learning a new song! This sample is the first 1/3 of the song! She likes the part designated as the "chimp tale"! Only her super teacher Mrs. S can truly know what this means! :)

And, our combo dot flashcards are working well. Student now has an interest in dominoes, as these cards we made look like giant ones. Seatwork reinforces these skills in Math, and today we had less pages than usual! What student would complain about that?!

We read in History from the longest chapter in Genesis today: ch 24. Student kept her eye on the pages in between Toddler's jumping and flapping...no there weren't any chickens in our lesson today, but Toddler was a close second!

Student says: I miss Daddy. I like remembering him and looking at our family picture we did together, Mama. I know he'll be home tomorrow, but I still really miss him! I hope Daddy will drive home safe, and I prayed that he would. That he will will not feel down about his long day at work. I miss him, and I hope he misses me.

Teach Us to Number Our Days

Library day, yes it is already Monday, again! Time moves right along, and pages keep turning. Our book bag was filled to the brim from our visit today. We traveled to violin and then to the doctor and then to the dentist. In between each stop, Student was busy with her Dad-made Math worksheet, and books galore.

Compare and contrast of each author's variation of Cinderella, this was our Literary lesson today. Student chose the stories, and with no surprise, our first grader chose a royal story for our learning!

Continuing on increasing our number skills, we put our counting chart to work. Student helped create this, weeks ago with the scripture reading...

"Teach us to number our days, oh Lord."

And oh how this is timely, with our counting down 18 days to the expansion of our family. Approximately 18 days, but our Student is counting!

Seatwork continues in Phonics and Space. We created a sorting envelope exercise for our planet groups, similar to the lapbooking technique that our good friend Tonya introduced us to.

And Student says: Please help me cut these! Hey, all of the gas planets have rings!

Thanks, Dad for my addition and take-away worksheet. I got the bonus, even!

Breezy Blessing

Beginning the day in His presence, we headed out to ride bikes in the breeze. Well, no girl can just ride and let her mind be free from thought, so that multitasking Student began to create names and places for each square on the block she rode over. The creative brain the God crafted is a beautiful thing! And Student shared that the our driveway and the neighbor's, which are so close to each other, only have a short piece of sidewalk connecting them, which creates a dog bone shape. Thus, Dog City was born! And riding and imagining in the morning breeze was such a blessing to our day's beginning.

In addition to our outside recess, homeschool indoor continues. Violin practice was only as long as it took our pink birthday candle to burn out! Student liked this idea, but considering birthday candles are rarely allowed to burn completely down, we didn't know how much time we were signing up for...but it was just right! Student played Lightly Row to finish our session, in her favorite effect: comic. Thanks Mac.

Our flashcard fun for place values has grown to the hundreds and thousands because of Student's curiousity. She was looking at a quarter and wanted to know how the number, or year listed had 4 digits and what places they were. So, ask and you shall receive! She is really getting it!

Cursive began with Student's name, this past Summer, but we have moved on to intensive attempts at letter A, B, and C today. She thinks first grade is cursively-cool!

Reading in chapter book, Poppleton, Student also loves this upgrade from Kindergarten. We all know that chapter books sound so... first grade!

Sorting through Space facts, we are looking forward to finishing up this unit in Science. We read our facts at the park today. What better place to learn?

And, continuing in Genesis, Student will begin a unit on Ancient Egypt, tomorrow. We are thinking about separating Bible and History. As we have some requirements to meet, but don't want to leave out the whole reason for homeschooling: His Truth.

DISCLAIMER: The pregnant-brained-Teacher forgot to connect the fact that our Bible history has been taking place in Egypt. Thus, we will continue an Egypt study, really. :) But include more in-depth study of false gods and culture.

Student: In Space unit, I learned about space shuttles and rockets. They have to go 4400 mph so they don't get pulled back by gravity, and stay on Earth.

Final Friday

Why homeschool? What is our purpose?

In the state of Kansas one must register their homeschool as a private learning institution, legally. And that institution needs a name and a purpose. Well, today I had a prompting from the Holy Spirit about our purpose.

After sharing some books this morning, we peddled our 1 mile ride today at the Manner. The kiddos love the freedom and I love the safety! But, to get home again, we passed the home of a widow we know. Miss Margaret. She used to be an active part of our lives when Student was younger. We worked in Weekday Bible School together for the public schools, back in the day. We used to remember her often and visit regularly.

Well, our priorities have somewhere been lost. In comes Final Friday!

In a close-by metropolitan area, Final Friday is a reason to have Art socials, drinking brigades and music played all-through-the-night just to glorify the world. However, our version of Final Friday will be for His glory...the whole purpose of homeschooling. Thus, Final Friday will be our realization to care for orphans and widows. What if this were our Final Friday to complete this service for The Lord? We shall act on this command of our religion today, and each Final Friday we are given.

We will make our way back to Miss Margaret's place and with us bring blessings of music and cards! May Student's music bless all in His name.

James 1:27
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

In the Garden

Today marked the end of a week, each passing us right through Summer. Where is the time going? We have truly been blessed to have this opportunity to homeschool and get experience before the addition to our family in September.

History moved onto Adam and Eve in the garden. Student spelled and looked up her dictionary search words from our story today:

abundance

cheribum

cleave

transgressor

We talked about the difference, word by word, contrasting God's directions about the Tree of Knowledge, and the Serpant's version of what God said. It is so important to help the next generation understand about Satan's deceptions, and his native tongue of lies. He lied then, and continues to use this language to deceive.

Space facts continue to orbit Student's brain. Our focus was Pluto, and Mercury today. We are 1/4 of the way done with our 100 space facts. We plan to have an Outer Space Open House, so watch for the invite! Student will share and show what she has learned throughout our unit.

Violin, that is another story. We are hitting a rough spot, where Student doesn't desire to practice, and complains most of the way through our sessions. Of course she acts well-mannered for her instructor once a week. But, it is a struggle at home right now. We focus on games and will work on a video for the blog of her latest song: Lightly Row. Maybe this goal will bring back some fun for her!?

Our project, for this Friday, connected to our studying Mercury. Student will account for her crater project.

Student: I put flour on a plate. Then, I took a marble and dropped it and it made a crater in the flour. The first time I dropped the marble from too high, and it was in too deep and it was hard to get out. Mercury's surface was the flour, the marble was a rock, asteroid, hitting the planet.

Creation

Today marked the beginning of our Bible History. We began with a short history of the Old Testament, which we drew our dictionary search words from:

Ark of the Covenant

Tabernacle

Student and I had the opportunity to study God creating in Genesis. One of the questions from our lesson was asking about who was present during creation. Another delt with the timing of creation...when did it happen? Was God before and after creation? Her eyes were so big when she described the big bang theory, and how silly it was to think that something just came from nothing. Like a big gust of wind just brought it and it was there and we just live and then one day the world is not here anymore.

Well, her thoughts brought the opportunity for us to discuss purpose, and why we have work to do while we are on Earth, and the focus of this not being our permanent home. What a big Student...what a brain from God...what a precious creation she is, I am honored to be her teacher.

Computer time came both alone and paired with Toddler. Student completed asteroid math focusing on subtraction and skip-counting. And then came her escape...

Violin lesson was today, as well as girls-afternoon-out! A friend came to spend time with Student and together they went to lesson, shared in conversation, art and baking. They created a scrumptious supper for us, as well as this artwork that included a card from Student and her friend. Student's card reads:

"Dear Mom, I love you. Plese help me no wat is best for me."

Yes, she blessed my day. No, my eyes aren't dry.

Daily Practice

I remember beginning violin lessons, last Autumn, and shrieking at the thought of daily practice.

How could we possibly fit one more thing into our daily schedule?

Here we are, alomost a year later, and Student and I forgot to include violin in our planner...because we are so accustomed to having it daily that it comes quite naturally. So began the talk of which is school, which is chore, which is life for a kid. And, as all parents know, everything is a teaching opportunity. Every day there are happenings that are fun and enjoyable strictly because they are through the eyes of a child. And as the Bible instructs to talk of the Lord when we walk, eat, sit and lay down...well, that pretty much covers everything! So, to seperate school from life, we are realizing isn't necessary. Whether the learning is impromptu, planned in our lesson, or an inquisitive question from the view of a child, it truly is learning.

Student, newly six and all, created her own chore chart. Her symbols for each job are superb! And as she begins and ends each day with chores, the in-between time is truly a joy to observe.

This picture is iphone time with Daddy, keeping busy when on an errand and creating art...what better use for that piece of equipment?

Student Says: I had a nice time making my chore chart. My favorite chore is making my bed and getting dressed. We went on the computer yesterday, and found some fun stuff I like to do. I made stories, and my own postcards.

Summer Camping

In the hills, among the trees, and swarming around the bees... this was camping!

Some worksheets by the fire + 

reading to the Uncle and Aunt + 

 super sonic violin practice =

Camp School!

Other than that, Student and Teacher enjoyed a morning devotional and study while the boys were off doing laundry and eating donuts. The time was blessed and oh so peaceful. 

Tomorrow marks the return of our 2nd pupil for summer school, and thus the learning continues. Tomorrow is another day, and another learning experience...whether planned and on schedule or not. Super Summer here we come!

Student's First...

Audition. Sounds like a big and scary thing. But, not to be intimidated. She says it means she plays for a new teacher at a new place. And, that's all folks!

Lord, we pray that this gift you have given to Student will bring you much glory as she plays tonight. Bless us with safety as we travel, as you are the only thing to keep us safe. Thank you for this opportunity. Bless those who continually bless us, for Your kingdom. In Jesus' name, Amen.