Mission-Minded Kids

As adults, we should do what we can to help others in need and share the love of God to hurting people.  But how do we pass compassion on to our kids?  How do we teach them to have compassion for others and to give of themselves?  I'm not exactly sure, but I have some ideas and I'd like to hear yours.

I guess the best idea I can think of is leading by example.  If your child sees you helping others and giving of yourself on a regular basis then he is more likely to see the importance of those actions and want to help others himself.  I also think we need to teach them what the Bible says about loving others and giving of ourselves - and then live it out in our daily lives.  Then it becomes more than just words on paper.  It becomes action. 

I've been doing those things to the best of my ability at home (of course, I can always use some improvement!).  However, we live in a comfortable American suburb and my children do not know what it means to be in need or have a real hurt beyond getting a boo-boo at the playground.  I tell them stories about people in different countries who do not have the comforts that we do and their eyes just glaze over - they have no idea what I'm talking about...I realized I needed to show them these needs.  But how?  

Well, I found a great resource that I'm happy to share with you.  The International Mission Board has a special site just for kids called Kids on a Mission.  Kids can watch videos, learn the needs of others, pray for people around the world and then learn what that they can do to help.  There are lots of local missions to get involved in locally, too.  Last week, we stopped by our area's food pantry to donate Girl Scout cookies from our troop.  The kids were able to see that there are people who cannot afford even the basics.  It was good for them to visit there and we were invited to come back to volunteer - we most definitely will!

Check out Kids on a Mission here!  And afterward, stop by the International Mission Board's site to donate to the Japan relief efforts here.  They have people already working on the ground in Japan and your dollars will go to those who need it most.

Kid Art

I love kid art.  It's so colorful and honest.  The process is always more important than the outcome and they feel a sense of accomplishment when their works of art are finished. 

My daughter said this was a picture of me taking her and her brother to play at the mall play area on a rainy day.

My son drew the picture below on our marker board.  He is very much into Earth science and space so his drawings tend to be related to whatever he's obsessing about at the time.  Right now, he's into extreme weather.  This is his drawing of a hurricane.  He said the dot in the center was the eye of the hurricane.

Playdough and clay gives me at least 30 minutes of uninterrupted time!  On this particular day, the kids created quietly for an hour - a whole hour!!

My daughter created an Egyptian scence (see the three sarcophagai? she said the mummies were in there)...

While my son created a medieval knight scene.

My son sometimes gets frustrated if he cannot draw something he has in mind.  That's when sister comes to the rescue and draws for him.  In this picture, people are running away from the large tornado.  If you look closely, 'The Dominator' from Discovery Channel's "Storm Chasers" is following the tornado:

 

 What sort of things do your children like to create?

Toobaloo

Let me introduce you to a great learning tool that we added to our homeschool - the Toobaloo, by Learning Loft.  It is a simple device that magnifies the child's voice so they can clearly hear their reading, phrasing and speech. 

Ella's reading has really improved by leaps and bounds this year.  We use a phonics approach to reading rather than whole language (for reasons I will divulge on another post), so it is important for my daughter to hear what is coming out of her mouth.  She is a perfectionist and wants to read at the same speed that I do - I am constantly having to slow her down so that she reads each and every word on the page.  I noticed that she would sometimes skip words or exchange simple words (like 'a' for 'the').  The Toobaloo lets her hear what she is reading so that she is more likely to catch mistakes herself.  

We tried it for the first time today.  On several occasions she corrected mistakes without my prompting and she seemed to have an easier time sounding out words that she did not know.  Paying attention is a challenge for her so this tool, I believe, works well for her.  We call it our "school phone".  When she reads, I ask her to "call" her friend and read the story to her.  If you can turn a subject into a pretend game or fairy tale, then Ella is all ears!

This tool is also great for children who struggle with speech.  My daughter does not have any major speech issues, however, there are certain words that she does not pronounce correctly.  I think the Toobaloo will help with that.

Learn more about the Toobaloo at Learning Loft's website.  Toobaloos are available at most teacher supply stores.  Or, you can find it here at Amazon.

Math & Fairytales

I've been researching math curricula for my daughter's second grade year and I came across a wonderful resource that I hope to add to our school: Arithmetic Village, by Kimberly Moore.  

Arithmetic Village is a set of books that explain mathematic concepts in fairytale-like stories.  Children are introduced to characters such as Polly Plus, Linus Minus, Tina Times and King David Divide.  My daughter LOVES fairy tale stories so I think she would respond really well to this.  The entire 5-book set is available for $50 through their website (otherwise, you'll pay approx. $15 per book through Amazon or Barnes & Noble).

The Arithmetic Village website is full of games, activities and worksheets that reinforce the concepts learned in the book.  I really love Kimberly Moore's approach to teaching math (read more here). I sure wish Tina Times had been around when I was learning multiplication in 3rd grade!

Check it out!

Progress Report

It's hard to believe that we are half-way through our second year of homeschooling.  I thought I might share some of the things we've experienced so far, such as, what are the benefits? or, on the other hand, the disadvantages?

Benefits

Homeschooling for me and the kids has become as natural as breathing.  It is simply a part of our daily rhythm.  In fact, it would feel unnatural for to wake up, rush out the door and send the kids away for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week.  Our mornings are typically peaceful - everyone has plenty of time to wake up, eat breakfast, get dressed, clean up and get ready for school.  School time is enjoyable - yes, even for me!  We play math and phonics games, read books, do science experiments in the kitchen, draw, paint, read about world history, watch educational videos on our iPad, read stories, use Bible verses and famous quotes for handwriting practice, make up songs to help us memorize facts, etc., etc.  Not only is it fun, but my children are learning (and I've learned a lot, too!).  My daughter is learning to tell time, count money, add/subtract, measure, etc., and she is reading really well.  My son loves nothing more than to listen to me read a book about space or carnivorous plants - he has even taken an interest in his preschool workbooks and asks if he can 'do school'.  The best part is we are doing it together in a nurturing environment.

Another benefit is that I know what my children know and what they need to work on.  If my daughter is struggling with a subject, we spend more time on it.  If she 'gets it' quickly, we move on.  There is no question of how my child is doing in school, which is a great comfort to a parent.

A social benefit to homeschooling is that there is no one telling my child what is cool and what is not.  She likes what she likes and she is totally confident in her choice of what is 'cool'.  I love that about her.  As my children grow, I hope they will be proud to be who they are and will not base their opinions, likes and dislikes on what is popular.  

Flexibility is another benefit we enjoy.  We can vacation during off-seasons, avoid crowds by visiting zoos/museums during the week and not worry about missing school if someone is sick.  If family comes to visit from out of town, the kids are home during the day to enjoy them.  We decide when Christmas break begins and ends.  And we can school through the summer if we want.  If Daddy gets to come home early, then the kids get to enjoy him being there. 

Disadvantages

The great thing is that since I'm the parent, teacher and the principle at my 'school', I'm able to make changes if something isn't working.  When we first started homeschooling last year, I began to feel a bit isolated from the world.  I only knew one other homeschooler and my daughter was in need of some playmates.  My solution: I joined a local homeschool association, a teaching co-op, and I put my daughter in Girl Scouts (and I'm now her troop leader).  Now my children get plenty of interaction with other children, in addition to being involved at our church and the YMCA.  Plus, they get to be taught by other moms once a week in our teaching co-op.  And now I don't feel like such a loner for choosing to homeschool.  

Another disadvantage can be burnout.  This is not unique to homeschoolers - every educator and student experiences burnout after some time.  What do I do about it?  My solution is to take a break from the norm and do something different: plan a field trip, take a nature walk, or take a break from the curriculum and spend a week working on a lapbook.

Some moms may see homeschooling as an overall disadvantage because they won't get a break from their kids.  I can't tell you how many times I've heard moms say that they "can't wait" for their kids to be in school.  I understand their feelings.  As a homeschooling mom, I'm often in need of a break, too (that was a serious understatement). However, the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages.  Our family is close and I believe one major reason for that is that we spend quality and quantity time together without being rushed to and from school, then to after-school activities, PTA meetings, etc. 

My children are happy, well-socialized, and learning a lot.  So far, it's been a good year.  In fact, I'd give it an 'A' :o)

Raising a Vegetarian - Vitamins & Supplements

To a carnivore like myself, the thought of raising a vegetarian child seemed completely absurd.  I love nothing more than a fat steak, cooked medium-rare to perfection.  However, God gave me a son who would not touch chicken to save his life.  I used to get really out-of-sorts about my sons eating habits.  But after doing some research and learning about the nutritional needs of children, I'm over it.  It's still amusing to see the look of shock on the faces of friends and family when they learn about what my son will not eat.  My goal here is to provide some encouragement to other moms of picky eaters.  It's not the end of the world if your child doesn't eat like other children - it just means you have to be creative :o)

Even though I'm 'over it', like I said before, it is still my job as his mom to make sure my child gets the nutrients he needs.  The first thing I did was figure out what healthy foods my son DOES like.  Next, I looked at what was missing so I could fill in the nutritional gaps.  Surprisingly enough, my son is getting all the daily protein he needs from milk, nuts, yogurt and pudding (click here to find out how much protein children need at different ages).  However, I noticed that he is still lacking variety in fruits and vegetables.  Here's where I had to get creative and have him try new things.  Our two lifesavers are V8 Fusion juice and organic fruit strips (Archer Farms brand from Target).  To my surprise, he has developed a love for pancakes.  It's an added plus that he loves my pumpkin pancakes - he's getting lots of good nutrients from the pumpkin puree.

If you like to cook, I recommend Jessica Seinfeld's book, "Deceptively Delicious".  My daughter had no idea that there were beans and squash in her cheese quesadillas!

Since I don't want my son to lack key vitamins and nutrients, I decided to give him supplements (I give them to my daughter, as well).  I realize that naturalists prefer that people get their nutrients from actual food.  When my son decides to eat a larger variety of foods, I'll cut back on the supplements.  But for now, I just want to get those nutrients in his growing body!  And, there are lots of organic choices out there for those wanting to be as natural and chemical-free as possible.

Here are some of the supplements that we use - and they have been taste-approved by both of my kids!

Lil' Critters Omega-3 Gummy Fish

Hero Nutritional's Yummi Bears Gummy Vitamins - Wholefood Fruits & Veggies

Surprisingly, I chose the Great Value (generic) brand children's multi-vitamin from Wal-Mart.  It was the only kid's multi-vitamin there that had all of the key vitamins & minerals I was looking for: B12, Iron (many vegetarians run the risk of having an iron deficiency), Magnesium and Zinc (interestingly enough, a lack of magnesium and zinc can cause a child to have ADHD symptoms - read more here). 

Even though my son's palate has not expanded much over the past year, I feel that he is making progress.  Over the past month since he has turned 4, I've noticed that he eats a great volume than he did before.  Meal times have not been as much of a battle and often he has finished his plate without me having to constantly remind him to keep eating.  He likes his vitamins and looks forward to taking them and I've noticed a positive difference in his behavior (which could also be due to better sleeping habits).

I welcome your thoughts, encouragement and advice.

Here are some articles that I found helpful:
Vegetarian Diets for Children
The Vegetarian Site
Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine

Math Help: Count by 2's, 5's, 10's Video

I found this great math video via 52 Week Preschool.  We're totally dancing and singing to this one!

Candy Math

 

Young elementary students respond really well to manipulatives and games for math - at least, that's what the experts say.  I think it's true of my daughter as well.  She can certainly do worksheet after worksheet, but she seems to catch on to new concepts more quickly when she can 'see' the how and why behind the numbers on the page.

Addition didn't come easy to Ella when we first began doing it on paper.  So, I put the worksheets aside for a few weeks and we did hands-on addition with manipulatives (beans, marbles, buttons, fabric coasters, etc.) instead.  When it came time for addition flash cards, she would look at 2 + 3 and say, "If I have 2 apples and add 3 more then I will have 5!  2 + 3 is 5!"  It clicked!  

Every student is different and some catch on to new concept more quickly than others.  I've learned that my child needs a lot of repetition in order to retain new concepts and information.  We spend a lot of extra time on each subject and I do not move on until I feel she has mastered it.  I care more about mastery than I do about saying, "Look at the amount of worksheets we've completed this year!"  And if my child were in public school, I'd want to know that she truly understands the subject instead of knowing just enough to pass a test (it's quite possible to do that - I did it often myself in school!).

Want to add more motivation to boring addition facts?  Make it more interesting with candy.  If your child correctly adds the candy, she can eat it.  While she eats it, she subtracts out-loud the number of pieces she is eating and tells you how many pieces are left.  This idea isn't original to me, but it's a good thing to keep in mind if your child's eyes begin to roll when you pull out the math book.  We don't play candy math everyday because that would be unhealthy :o)  But playing it every now and then keeps it fun and new.

Yes, I'm Still Here :o)

As the first semester of 1st Grade comes to a close, I'm finally able to think about things that I want to do - like updating my blog!  I prayed a dangerous prayer at the beginning of this school year.  I prayed that the Lord would remove the things in my life that distracted me from what His will is for my life. And I think He was happy to answer that prayer!  

This school year has gone great so far mainly because I've been so focused on the kids and less distracted by other things.  I almost feel as if I've been in some sort of hibernation, however, not isolated.  We've been very active in our homeschool group and have enjoyed several exciting field trips so far: Museum of Natural Science (special mummy exhibit), Renaissance Festival and Six Strings Music Academy.  Each week we enjoy attending classes at our teaching co-op and playing at the park with our homeschool friends.  Ella's reading skills are improving and I'm so proud of her!  However, she is shy about it and tends to clam up when other people put her on the spot.  She's always been that way.  My little guy says that he wants to 'do school like Ella' so I'm going with it!  He sat down and did several preschool worksheets with me the other day.  I taught him the correct way to hold a pencil and he was very careful to do it the right way.  He knows his letters/numbers, but this was the first time that he every tried to trace them.  He was very proud of his efforts :o)  And his sister was proud of him, too.

Our Girl Scout Daisy troop has been wonderful for me and Ella.  The girls have had fun earning petals and patches.  They have also enjoyed grooming horses at the GS camp, seeing 'The Nutcracker' together, and doing service projects such as cleaning up a local park, putting together a birthday box for a girl in need and purchasing farm animals to help needy families across the globe.

Thanksgiving was a fun time for us.  We bought a new car, hosted Thanksgiving dinner at our house (complete with fried turkey!), baked a WONDERFUL pie that we have dubbed the "Court and Leslie Campbell Annual Holiday Pie" (our newest tradition for our little family) and camped in the hill country with my best friend and her family (it was Allison's first time ever to camp.  She did AWESOME!).

December has been a wonderful month for us as we look forward to spending the holidays with family.  The kids have enjoyed some holiday fun, such as: decorating gingerbread houses with friends, watching Christmas movies and listening to Christmas music, decorating the tree, and we are looking forward to the homeschool association's annual Christmas party.  

Several upcoming blog posts will include: The Alford-Campbell Camping Trip, Having a Christ-Focused Christmas, Thanksgiving Lapbook, Most Awesome Holiday Pie Ever and whatever else I like writing about :o)  Blogging is sort of like designing in the fact that I have to feel inspired to blog.  No inspiration means no posts.  I've had plenty to blog about over the past few months, but no inspiration or motivation to do it.  But the blog has been on my mind lately and I've felt the itch to write again.  We'll see what I come up with!

Talk to you soon,

Leslie

(As Christmas approaches, I thought a pic of Buddy and the Coca-Cola bear would be an appropriate choice. The picture above was taken at The World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta)

I Say Ephesians!

 

I'm proud of my lil' booger :o)  He memorized his first Bible verse and got a prize for saying it to his Sunday School teacher today.  He told me, "Mommy, I say Ephesians!  I say Ephesians and I got a prize!  Ephesians 2:10!"  The verse was shortened for his class of 3 year olds to say, "God made us to do good"

I guess I shouldn't be too surprised.  If he can memorize quotes from Harry Potter and Caillou then surely he can memorize a Bible verse.  The Bible verse will benefit him more than the TV quotes, anyway.  It certainly inspired me to share more of God's word with him.  Never underestimate how much a toddler can understand!

In the picture above, he is sitting in the ferris wheel at the Downtown Aquarium.  He was a little bit afraid at first, but he loved seeing all the tall buildings and the highway below.

Strawberry Pickin'

Earlier this past Spring, we went strawberry picking with our homeschool association.

Baskets ready, now time to walk past the blackberry patches to the strawberry field.

Look, she rolled her socks :o)  As a child of the 80's, this makes me quite proud!

Those big boxes fill up in no time!

My little guy loves the color green.  He wanted to pick the green strawberries.  

Row after row after row of strawberries!

The kids loved this.  I encourage you to take your kids to a farm in your area.  It's great for them to see where their food comes from.  And it's just plain fun, too.

Back to (home)School: The Well-Planned Day

It's hard to successfully homeschool without being somewhat organized.  Every one has their own system of keeping track of schedules, activities, appointments, schoolwork, etc.  I had a pretty good system last year involving an Excel file.  But this year I stumbled upon a wonderful resource at the homeschool convention: The Well-Planned Day Planner.

This spiral-bound book is a gem (I'd even go so far to say it's a 'must have') for any homeschooling mom.  After all, it was designed by a homeschooling mom.  Jean Hall, the author, didn't leave out a single detail.  So far, it's meeting my needs perfectly.  I know a couple other moms who purchased this who have said the same thing. 

The Well-Planned Day includes:

 

Full Year Planner: July 2010 - June 2011

Organize and Plan for up to 4 children in one convenient book.

Four Student Class Plans: Schedule each student's class assignments.

Four Student Time Schedules: Track each day by the hour.

Weekly Schedule: Organize your week with class assignments, weekly priorities, prayer requests, dinner menu, and notes.

Month at a Glance: Plan field trips, enrichment activities and books to read

Semester Attendance & Progress Reports

Perforated Report Cards

Menu Planning: Plan weekly meals and conveniently shop with perforated shopping lists.

Family Worship: Read through the Bible in a year.

Insightful homeschool articles and tips to inspire you throughout the year.

Daily Catechism & Bible verse

and much more....

You can purchase your own copy HERE.  You won't be disappointed!

Back to (home)School: Where Do You Homeschool?

"Where in your house do you homeschool?"

I'm often asked this question by my non-homeschooling friends.  I understand their inquiry.  Most of my friends, like myself, were educated in the public school system.  We're used to brightly colored bulletin boards and inspirational posters on the wall, wood and metal desks lined up in rows, and a big green or black chalk board at the front of the room.  One must duplicate this setting in order to properly teach children, right?  Not at all!

Many homeschoolers do school on the kitchen table.  A friend of mine does most of her teaching with her kids seated comfortably on her large L-shaped couch in the living room.  On nice Spring/Fall days, we've done school in the playhouse in the backyard.  Since I have a preschooler at home, I've found that the best place for us to do school is in our playroom.  You don't need to spend a ton of money to have a special place to do school - ours was done on a budget and most items were purchased over time at Target or Ikea.  The room has sort of evolved over the years and now has a personality of its own.

My daughter can sit at the child-sized table (Ikea) and work while my son plays.  We'll probably have to upgrade it soon since she's almost too big for it.  When she's working on an assignment that doesn't require me, I can switch gears and teach my preschooler using manipulatives and puzzles that we keep in the room.  Another benefit to our playroom is that it is adjacent to the kitchen, where we do science experiments and arts and crafts.

This was the first couch my husband and I owned (Ikea still sells it if you just have to have one).  It's found its home in the playroom and is our 'reading couch'.  The alphabet cards on the wall are made by Eeboo.  I LOVE them!  And we actually use them.  They make several other designs as well.  Buy your own here.

All my books, files and school supplies used to sit on one of my kitchen counters.  It was a tight space, for sure.  Due to an incident involving my son putting all of our flash cards and school supplies in the fish tank, my husband agreed that it was time to get a TALL bookshelf (ours is from Target) to store our homeschool stuff in.  That's why there is so much stuff on the very top shelf, in case you were wondering :o)

I love this file box (also from Target).  It was only $14.99 and came with super cute file folders - score!  You can't teach school without cute file folders...well, maybe you can but it's just not quite as fun.  This is where I store worksheets, completed work, info, school materials receipts, etc.  'Educational' toys are stored on the bottom shelves so my son can reach them.

Storage, Sweet, Storage!  Yes, I even printed and laminated labels for the bins...I'm a dork, I know.  We got this storage system from Ikea when I was pregnant with my son.  In fact, my water broke and I went into labor shortly after sorting the toys into their bins (how's that Too Much Information!)  If you need to organize your toys, run to Ikea and get this.  It's inexpensive, sturdy and practical.  You'd pay several hundred dollars more for a similar system from Pottery Barn Kids. I'm not knocking PBK.  I love PBK.  But they can be $$pricey$$.  However, the art cable above the storage system was purchased on clearance from PBK.  It was marked down to $12 - a steal!

Easel.  $25 from Ikea.  Can't beat that.  We pull it out into the kitchen when it's time to paint.

Maps!  Another Eeboo design.  I purchased mine from Genius Babies.  We use the maps a lot.  The US map came with stickers so we could mark where Gram and Mimi and Poppy live.

Under the Mexican blanket is a plastic play structure that my daughter got for Christmas when she was a toddler.  It's a big hit when kids come over to play.  Right now, the blanket turns it into a 'house'.  We don't use this during school...unless you count my son hiding inside and peeking at me while I help my daughter with her math :o)  My daughter likes to stand inside it so she can get a better view of the maps and the 100 chart.

That's our homeschool/play room.  We love it.  It works for us.

A special thanks to my Hubby for letting me paint it robin egg blue, even though he can't stand that color on the wall :o)

Back to (home)School: Preschool at Home

What should your child learn in preschool (besides how to dress up like a pirate in the picture above)?  According to FamilyEducation, your child is ready for Kindergarten when he can:

• Listen to stories without interrupting
• Recognize rhyming sounds
• Pay attention for short periods of time to adult-directed tasks
• Understand actions have both causes and effects
• Show understanding of general times of day
• Cut with scissors
• Trace basic shapes
• Begin to share with others
• Start to follow rules
• Be able to recognize authority
• Manage bathroom needs
• Button shirts, pants, coats, and zip up zippers
• Begin to control oneself
• Separate from parents without being upset
• Speak understandably
• Talk in complete sentences of five to six words
• Look at pictures and then tell stories
• Identify rhyming words
• Identify the beginning sound of some words
• Identify some alphabet letters
• Recognize some common sight words like "stop"
• Sort similar objects by color, size, and shape
• Recognize groups of one, two, three, four, and five objects
• Count to ten
• Bounce a ball

This list is made up of mostly developmental milestones.  Developmental milestones are definitely important for beginning Kindergarten.  How can Johnny sit in a desk long enough to learn to read and write if he can't control himself or recognize authority?  Those things are important whether your child attends Kindergarten at a public, private or homeschool.  It is nice, though, for me to see what common age/grade standards are so I can make sure my children are up to par (if not above) state educational standards.  I used to teach preschool so I feel that I have a pretty good grasp of what he should be learning this year.

I've shared with you all what our plans are this year for my first grader.  But today I'd like to talk about preschool.  My son is 3-1/2 and some family and friends have asked if I'm starting to teach him at home yet.  The answer is most definitely yes...but in a very hands-on, impromptu way.

Most moms believe their children to be smart - and they should!  I'm no exception :o)

At three years old, my child:

• Recognizes all 26 letters of the alphabet (capital and lowercase letters)
• Recognizes numbers 1 to 10
• Can successfully count objects to 3
• Knows several letter sounds
• Can name all 8 planets in our solar system (and knows that Pluto is considered a 'dwarf planet')
• Can accurately describe a black hole (no kidding!)
• Can identify his name out of a list of names
• Has great fine and gross motor skills
• Is learning to cut with scissors
• Can hold a pencil correctly
• Can sort objects by shape, color, and size
• Can speak understandably
• Knows all his colors
• Knows basic shapes

He's almost ready for Kindergarten, right?!  Wrong!  What my son possesses in knowledge, he lacks in maturity.  After all, he's only 3!  So here's what we are doing:

The little foam blocks are from the dollar spot at Target.  My daughter uses them for learning addition and subtraction, while I use them for sorting and counting for my son.  And sometimes, they just get thrown all over our homeschool room :o)

This little gem was purchased from Wal-Mart a couple years ago.  It's a dry erase marker flip board.  I used it to help Ella get ready for writing and I'm now using it for my son.  We're starting with the shape tracing page and will progress to the letter and number tracing pages.

Although some days he just wants to doodle on the blank page.

More dry erase marker fun!  This pack has sturdy cards with numbers 1 to 25.  I was lucky to find this for about $8 at Marshall's...I wish I could tell you where to find your own.

My little guy is learning practical skills like zipping, lacing, etc. with this little puzzle from Melissa & Doug.

He loves this alphabet puzzle (also by Melissa & Doug).  We play Find the Letter - I simply ask him to find a certain letter.  I then loudly cheer when he finds it.  He thinks it's great fun!

Lacing beads!  Great for learning patterns and developing fine motor skills.  I like the lacing beads from Genius Babies.

Learn colors, shapes, counting and sorting this great toy (again, from Melissa & Doug - don't they make the best toys?!).

He always does Art time with his sister.  Here, the kids are playing with Playdough.  A staple of any home with children!

He likes to sit in on our Science lessons.  He loves all things science-related.  Even chemistry.  He also listens during our daily read-aloud time.  This week, we're reading two chapters a day of The Wizard of Oz. 

We read aloud.  A lot.  Can't stress the importance of that enough.

But sometimes, I simply need to keep him occupied while Ella gets through her lessons:

Playing is an important part of being 3 so I don't feel pressured to give him structured lessons all day.  He's happy, he's learning and having fun.  That's what's most important.

Next year we'll have a more structured preschool curriculum to follow.  For now, it's all hands-on fun.

What about social time?  Got that covered.  We're members of a local homeschool association and frequently get together with friends for play dates and field trips.  Plus, my kids spend several hours a week at our YMCA and church playing with other children.

What do you like to do with your preschooler?

Just Read the Article

I came across this post on The Pioneer Woman's blog today and wanted to share.  It was written by Heather Sanders of Oh My Stinkin' Heck (I like her already just based on her blog title!).

Click HERE to read it yourself.  She answers two of the most popular questions that people ask homeschoolers.

As I scrolled down to the bottom of the post, I noticed in the comment section that someone asked Heather, "How do you know it’s the best (learning) environment for your children?"

I love her answer:

"I always thought that homeschooling should be a jailable offense; so I didn’t start right away. We stumbled through two attempts at both public and private schools, and it wasn’t until our son would have been attending a particularly rough middle school that our hand was really forced on the issue. There were no private schools to fall back on; it was homeschool or send him off that cliff.

We’re fixing to start our fifth year of homeschooling. During this time, I’ve learned a few things:
- just about anyone can homeschool
- you do not need patience to begin
- yes, you *could* do it
- no, you don’t need a teaching degree (it can actually hinder)
- no, you don’t need a college degree, either
- me time is highly overrated; fall in love with “we” time instead
- you’ll get to know your children even better
- “family” will take on a whole new meaning
- socialization? to borrow from a friend, “I want my children to be civilized, not socialized.” Amen!

There are a ton of stereotypes out there about homeschooling and homeschoolers. The one constant is that it’s not what you would ever imagine it to be. It’s like stepping out of a black and white dream and breathing in color.

If you’re thinking about homeschooling, please seriously consider it. The same intuition that guided you to comfort a crying baby will not leave you high and dry with homeschooling; this is just the next step. If you loved your baby’s firsts, you will love homeschooling. You’ll have your share of your own firsts, too. But learning at home, surrounded by the people who love you? It gets no better than that."

Back to (home)School: Curriculum

We did My Father's World's Kindergarten curriculum last year and it was wonderful.  The phonics-based reading program is really strong.  So why switch now?!  So far, I haven't found another complete curriculum that I like as much as My Father's World.  Another reason to love it is that it's AFFORDABLE!!!  For those of us who live on a budget, that's a huge plus.  

Check out what's in store for 1st Grade:

(from the MFW website)

"My Father's World First Grade is a complete first grade curriculum with a phonics-based reading program that focuses on the Bible. The integrated lessons also include language arts, social studies, science, math, art, and Bible. Easy-to-teach lesson plans guide you through a complete school year.

Using a thematic approach, Bible history from Genesis to Revelation is the focus of this learning adventure. Phonics lessons develop the needed skills to read Bible stories from our Bible Reader. Students retell (narrate) the Bible story and create a lovely keepsake Bible Notebook in which they summarize and illustrate Bible stories. Weekly memory verses selected from Proverbs help strengthen handwriting skills as well as biblical character.

Hands-on projects help the student understand and experience the world of the Bible. Creating a timeline helps to visualize Bible stories as actual events that fit into history. Making a Bible times costume and celebrating a Sabbath meal help students understand the culture of the Bible.

Reading is taught with step-by-step instruction in phonics. My Father's World First Gradeall necessary phonics to produce an independent reader. The Teacher's Manual provides easy-to-follow daily lesson plans that teach new skills and allow for continuous review. Student worksheets reinforce phonics, spelling, and handwriting skills. By Day 38, students are able to read Bible stories in a special beginning level Bible Reader, which is included with the curriculum. begins with a quick review of letter names and sounds, followed by in-depth teaching of

For science, the focus is nature, using three excellent Usborne science books included with the curriculum. The Teacher's Manual also lists goals for first grade math, and suggestions for an informal hands-on approach. The Deluxe Package adds more hands-on manipulatives and a colorful math workbook to reinforce skills."

I purchased my Basic 1st Grade package at the homeschool conference a couple weeks ago.  I've looked over it and I'm really impressed - this is going to be a big year for Ella!  Plus, I think she's going to enjoy it (that's definitely a plus, right?!).

So if this curriculum is so complete, then why am I supplementing Math and Science?

I wasn't planning on supplementing until I heard about RightStart Mathematics and Real Science-4-Kids from a friend.  Those two programs are so stinkin' awesome that I thought, "We have to do this!"  And I'll tell you why.

RightStart Math - Oh, why couldn't you have been around when I was a kid?  I struggled and struggled with math since 3rd grade.  I remember feeling stupid when told by my third grade math teacher to "sit down and shut up!" when I asked her to help me understand multiplication.  That set the tone for the remainder of my math experience in school.  In college, I was happy algebra with a D just so I wouldn't have to take it again (funny thing is I made A's in all my other classes that semester).  I do NOT want my children to hate math like I did.  In fact, I want my children to actually LIKE math and have confidence that they can do well in it. 

What is RighStart Mathematics?

(from the RighStart website)

"RightStart Mathematics uses the AL Abacus to provide a visual, auditory, and kinesthetic experience. The elementary and intermediate program lessons guide the teacher day-by-day and year-by-year, helping children understand, apply, and enjoy mathematics while surpassing state standards.

The AL Abacus is grouped in fives and tens for quick recognition of quantities. Children develop visual strategies as they use this manipulative. The back side of the AL Abacus teaches place value to the thousands. Click on the abacus to the right for more information.

Practice is provided with math card games, minimizing review worksheets and stressful flash cards, presenting a variety of repetition, and creating hours of fun learning math facts and concepts. Understanding and problem solving are emphasized throughout the curriculum."

We'll be doing Level B:

"In this level, the child learns the addition facts with mental strategies. He also learns to add 4-digit numbers. Subtraction is delayed until addition is thoroughly understood. Place value is emphasized throughout. Other topics, such as geometry, money, clocks, and unit fractions, are also taught."

RightStart had a booth at the homeschool conference so I was able to see the curriculum up close and personal.  Later that day, Ella noticed their booth while we were walking around the exhibit hall.  I hadn't told her about it yet so she didn't know what it was.  However, she was so interested in the abacus and the math manipulatives that she walked over to the booth and said, "Wow!  What are all these toys?!"  Ding, ding, ding, ding!!!  I think I picked the right program for her :o)

Why choose Real Science-4-Kids?

"Traditional elementary science education introduces students to science mainly through the subjects of biology and earth/space. However, both biology and earth/space require chemistry and physics to be understood. How can a child to understand plant growth and photosynthesis without some basic introduction to atoms, molecules and light energy? How can a child to understand the earth, sun, and solar system without some basic introduction to gravity, mass, and nuclear energy? Without the foundational subjects of chemistry and physics, elementary science education leaves a "gap" in a students ability to learn, understand, and retain the science they are being taught."

This is going to sound strange but my first grader will be studying chemistry this year.  Yeah, you heard me right - chemistry!  Isn't that usually introduced only in high school?

"The Pre-Level 1 Chemistry Student Text introduces K-3 students to college-level chemistry concepts such as atoms, molecules, acids, bases, mixtures, polymers, proteins, and DNA."

What the hay?! But Dr. Keller, the author of Real Science-4-Kids, thinks children should study the basics of chemistry in order to understand other branches of science.

"RS4K introduces students to chemistry and physics beginning in first grade and continues to build this foundational knowledge as the student progresses through the curriculum. RS4K integrates chemistry and physics in the biology and earth/space books showing kids how these disciplines differ and how they overlap. In this way, students receive a solid science educational foundation."

Here's her story:

"Dr. Rebecca W. Keller was working as research assistant professor after receiving her Ph.D. in biophysical chemistry from the University of New Mexico. For years, she worked in the areas of biophysics, molecular biology and neuroscience. She also home schooled for her three children for 14 years in her Albuquerque, New Mexico, home. When she could not find textbooks that excited her kids about science, she began to create her own. Eventually she founded Gravitas and wrote the hugely popular Real Science-4-Kids science books and the Kogs-4-Kids workbook series. Gravitas believes in teaching for understanding – and for fun!"

I'm sold.  Our chemistry bundle should arrive in the mail in the next week or two.  Atoms, molecules, DNA, science experiments in the kitchen...bring it on.

I'm still planning to do some of the Earth/nature science that is included in My Father's World.  But I think Real Science-4-Kids is going to give the kids a strong foundation in science that they'll need as they get into middle and high school. 

When do we start?

August 16th is our official first day of school.  As of now, I'm busy filling out my homeschool planner and reading through the teacher guides of the curriculum while my children play without a care and enjoy the rest of their summer.

In my next Back to (home)School post, I'll discuss my preschool plans for my 3-1/2 year old.  

Homeschooling rocks.  Motherhood rocks.  It's exhausting work, but this is the most rewarding thing I've ever done in my life!