A Day in the Life - Part 1

Here is a day in the life of our homeschooling. (I'll post pictures soon!)

4 kids - 7 (2nd), 5 (K), 3, 1 (13 months)

WEDNESDAY - a few weeks ago 

Breakfast - Read from the Preschool Devotional Book - it is simple but the kids get it. At about 8:00

Chores - Kids put dishes away, get dressed, put pjs away, make bed, sweep, brush teeth and hair 

Madeline down for nap - at about 9:00

Circle Time (20 minutes) 

Prayer

Pledge

Songs - Jesus Loves Me, Down by the Station, BINGO, Hickory Dickory Dock (I used the Wee 

Sing Children’s Songs and Finger Plays - not the CD, we just sang from the book)

Poetry Reading - From Child’s Book of Poems by Gyo Fugikawa

Bible Verse - Gen 1:1

Calendar Time - sang the days of the week song, found today’s date, circled the kind of clouds outside (My Calendar activity book from Rod and Staff (Milestone Books)

Math time with Wes - (30 minutes) used craft sticks  of 2 different colors to talk about different ways to make 7 and 8 (review), played a game kind of like go fish where you make pairs for 7 or 8, or whatever # you choose from 5-10. We played for 7 twice and 8 once. 

  - While we did this, David played with Legos in the same room

- Catherine, of her own accord took the colored craft sticks and organized them by color. Then she took the cards we weren't using and laid them out in rows. She also colored.

Break/Exercise 20 minutes- Boys played legos a bit and I cleaned up some and regrouped myself. Since it was raining outside we did some stretches inside like arm circles and knee lifts, etc and jumping jacks and push ups. Then we lined up pillows with space in between and hopped over them. Then we had races doing this.

Snack/Bird Study  - yogurt, oranges or pistachios. 

- while eating we reviewed the different ways birds use feathers. The we discussed reasons that birds fly and why they land. Then I read some from a portion of a book about this topic. Then I had them draw a picture of a few ways birds fly and land. (Madeline woke up from her nap and I put her in her chair where she ate a snack).

Wes had independent learning time - he did Handwriting Without Tears, a phonics cut and paste activity I came up with and a portion of a math sheet practicing addition facts to 7.

David did some phonics with me for about 10 minutes max.

Activity Time (Music) - The kids then played with some cuisenaire rods for a few minutes while I cleaned up a bit. Then we read from An Introduction to Classical Music about  dancing being a way that we use music. We listened to a track that played the Can-Can and tried to do it. That was fun! 

School time was officially over at about 11:40 or so. I cleaned up a bit, while the kids played with the cuisenaire rods some more. Then Wes decided to make lunch - one eyed monsters! Eggs with a chocolate almond in the middle as the eye, strawberries for ears, carrots for hair, and toast for a phone(?) While he did that I played with the cuisenaire rods some and looked up a recipe for peach cobbler, then I had David help me set the table. 

Lunch - I read a story from History Stories for Children.

Clean up - We all worked to clean up the mess from school and lunch - toys from Madeline, Wes cleaned the bathroom sink and counter, the kids put their laundry away, they put the pillows away from our hopping races, etc. 

1:30 is tv time - sometimes. If they are playing outside, i don’t call them in to watch tv unless they ask for it. They watched Peg + Cat on PBS. While they did this I read two books to Madeline and put her to bed. Catherine was with me. Then I cleaned up more, swept and then counted all the numbers in one of the books I read to Madeline (123 to the Zoo by Eric Carle) by Catherine’s request. 

2:00 - Read Aloud time - we read a book written for the music The Carnival of Animals and a book about germs. 

2:15 - Game time. I also did a few stickers with Catherine in her Winnie the Pooh Sticker Book, then she went upstairs for a nap/rest time. She took a book about teeth with her to look at. 

2:45 - the boys have play alone time/rest time. David played with Legos in our “school room” and Wes played in his room - until 3:45 or 4:00, then snack and free time for all until dinner, around 6:00. Madeline goes to bed around 7:15 or 7:30, the rest at 8:00 after we read a chapter book and bible story to them. 

A Day in the Life - Our Homeschool Days Series

I realize it has been almost a year since I've written anything. I guess, again, that I've been a little busy. Trying to homeschool with 4 small children is a bit time consuming. I read these other blogs by women who have kids galore, they have a blog business and they homeschool. I don't know how they do it!

So, what inspired me to write this time? I love schedules and seeing how other people do their homeschooling. They give me ideas. So I thought I would share what our days look like so others might find something useful or might be an encouragement to someone who has never homeschooled to see what it can be like. I also wanted to add the less glamorous aspect of being at home all day with your kids. I do love it but it is hard and real life happens and tempers flare and kids have bad attitudes. I feel like in a lot of blogs I read, this is missing. It makes it seem like life is as if in a hazy photograph with the sun shining in brightly on cheery faces, with no messes or bad attitudes, following a perfect schedule, all sitting quietly around a table. Well, that is just not the way it is here. It is beautiful and when it is all said and done, I love it, but it is messy!

So here is a little about how I'm doing things this year. Last year I used mostly a  Charlotte Mason philosophy. However, over this last year I have been greatly inspired and influenced by several other types of educational philosophies, all of which have some things in common. Those are the book Teaching From Rest, the philosophy of Raymond and Dorothy Moore  (and this) and schools in Finland (yes, that one is a bit odd, but after reading about their philosophy and the great success they've had, it seems to fit well with the other philosophies I like and greatly influenced how I'm conducting our homeschool this year), and, most recently, minimalism. This works out so that we have a morning circle time which includes prayer, singing, poetry, scripture memory and calendar review (including graphing weather at the end of the month and singing songs, coloring sheets and reading books and poetry about the seasons, months and days) unit studies (which brings in the history and science), phonics, math, copywork/handwriting, narration (tied to unit studies). We also try to do some picture study, music, drawing occasionally, art, handiwork, cooking and geography. We don't get it all in each week, but we get most of it. The ones that get neglected the most are handiwork and geography. I started out trying to do French too, but I ditched it for now. Just too much. We will listen to French songs from time to time though.

The way we homeschool is very much a work in progress and honestly, after each day I ponder how I could tweak this or that to make it work better. I try to schedule things too much I think and get frustrated almost everyday when things don't go according to the schedule. Today, I realized that a great deal of learning is happening anyway and that I need to not be quite so regimented about the schedule. And I also reminded myself that whatever schedule I have needs to have a great deal of margin in it to account for the barely-toddler girl in our midst who crawls through the middle of our phonics lesson and then climbs on a kids chair and falls on her head! :(

The demographic of our homeschool is one bouncy, silly boy - 7.5, one quiet detail-oriented, pattern loving boy - 5.5, one butterfly of a girl who flits and twirls and sings through life - 3.5 and one squishy, marshmallowy girl 13 months who loves to examine things and crawl all over everything.

I've taken notes of several of the days that we've homeschooled. So I've posted the first one here in the next post.

A Homeschool Day

It's been awhile again, I know. My only excuse is that I had a baby. (Smile). You can read about her here.

We started first grade and preschool homeschooling about 6 weeks ago. All I can say is it is definitely not the picture in my head that I thought it would be! But, overall, it has been a success. Wesley needs to be prodded for phonics and writing practice but he enjoys math, science, history and any other subject that requires me reading to him or him doing an activity or us playing a game together.

I had in my head it would all be nice and neat, sitting at the table with it quiet around us. That has not been the case but there has been a lot of life around us and learning has taken place which is all I can ask for right now. :)

So above is a picture of one of homeschool days. We were having snacks while doing school. I had just finished feeding Madeline, while also trying to do school. David is looking at an alligator craft for the letter A from the computer. Catherine is gracefully digging out large scoops of cream cheese with triscuits. I think she ate half the tub! She has a piece of paper to "color" on with a marker but it is only covered in cream cheese. (By the way, I had to put her in her room secured with a baby gate the previous two days because she was reeking havoc all over the house!) Beside Wes is a Beatrix Potter Treasury book. We read the Tale of Squirrel Nutkin. Then we practiced some phonics in the book The Reading Lesson. Next, for math and writing combined, he practiced writing numbers. For math and history combined, we played a modified version of a Native American Passomaquady game where you roll dice and count out that many sticks from a pile of sticks. Whoever has the most sticks when the pile runs out wins. This is for practicing counting, adding, counting by twos, etc. Wes is extremely competitive with others and against himself so games and racing himself with a timer for number facts is a big hit! Then we went outside and raced around the house a few times (so happy to be able to run again but I'm out of shape!). Then we practiced the standing long jump and David made up a hopping race.

The kids continued to play outside while I made lunch which we were going to eat outside but the yellow jackets chased us away. At lunch I read a short devotional that I forgot to read at breakfast. And then I read some Aesop fables.

Soon, I will write what I'm actually teaching for first grade and preschool. Hopefully. Again, not making promises. I don't have a good track record!

Preschool Weekly Activities - Letter D

Preschool Weekly Activities - Letter D
Click here for an introduction to the preschool curriculum and here for my preschool philosophy.

Letter The A-Z Picture Book by Gyo Fugikawa - Read letter D pages

Poetry - Read "Dream Variation" and "A Small Discovery" in Rhyme Time by Tomie De Paola, or  D poem from Read Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young

Literature - Read a story from Tomie De Paola's Favorite Nursery Tales 

Bible Read about Daniel in the Lion's Den, or David and Goliath in your favorite children's Bible or Bible Story Book of choice. I either use The Jesus Storybook Bible or The Look And See ESV Bible for children.

Scripture Memory - "He will take great delight in you'" Zephaniah 3:17 from Songs for Saplings.

Picture Books - Read books about Ducks, Dogs, dump trucks, diggers, dolphins, drums!
   We read these:
     * Harry the Dirty Dog
     * Dozen Dozens
     * Dr. Desoto Goes to Africa by William Stieg
    
Other picture book suggestions: 
     * The Doorbell Rang
     * Make Way for Ducklings
     * Angus and the Ducks
     * The Story of Ping (BFIAR) - about a duck 

Activities (we only did the ones in bold, though I had plans for more) - actually this week, we didn't really do any D activities, except one that my son made up.  It's ok not to do any, they are still learning!

     *Eat Donuts
     * Play Drums
     * Watch a video of drums
     * Draw. Anything. or draw things that start with d 
     * Dig
     * Play with your dog. 
     * Make up a story about a dog or a duck, or both together. My son made up a story about               Duck and Truck. They were best friends. :) 
     * Run in dewy grass and talk about where the dew comes from
     * Talk about your dreams.
     * Cover a big letter D in dots
     * Make Darren the Duck from Alphabet Art
     * Do other D activities from this website

Skills Do a few pages in Rod and Staff Preschool Books A, C, D, E, or F. and/or Wipe Clean: Early Learning Activity Book

Songs and Fingerplays
    * Down by the Station

Science Activity 
 Choose an activity from Science Play

Let's Read and Find Out About Science Level 1
     * Ducks Don't Get Wet

Preschool Weekly Activities - Letter C

Preschool Weekly Activities - Letter C
Click here for an introduction to the preschool curriculum and here for my preschool philosophy.

Letter The A-Z Picture Book by Gyo Fugikawa - Read letter C pages

Poetry - Read "Cat Kisses" in Rhyme Time by Tomie De Paola, or a B poem from Read Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young

Literature - Read a story from Tomie De Paola's Favorite Nursery Tales 

Bible Read about Joseph's Coat of Many Colors in your favorite children's Bible or Bible Story Book of choice. I either use The Jesus Storybook Bible or The Look And See ESV Bible for children.

Scripture Memory - "You will be changed into His likeness'" 2 Cor. 3:18 from Songs for Saplings.

Picture Books - Read books about Cats, Caterpillars, Colors, Cars, Crickets!
   We read these:
     * Corduroy by Don Freeman (BFIAR)
     * Millions of Cats
     * Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodnika  (BFIAR)
     * The Caboose Who Got Loose by Bill Peet
    
Other picture book suggestions: 
     * Copyboy
     * Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
     * If you Give a Mouse a Cookie
     * The Very Quiet Cricket
     * A Rainbow of My Own
     * The Red Carpet (BFIAR)

Activities (we only did the ones in bold, though I had plans for more)

     * Make Cookies
     * Eat Chocolate
     * Catch a caterpillar and take care of it
     * Count cars on your street
     * Race match box cars
     * Make Letter C crafts from here. Cats, caterpillars
     * Make Letter C's out of Playdoh or any of these others ways from this list. 
     * Do other activities from this site or from Alphabet Art
     * Paint a rainbow
     * Play with sidewalk chalk
     * Chop carrots (with a parent's help!) 


Skills Do a few pages in Rod and Staff Preschool Books A, C, D, E, or F. and/or Wipe Clean: Early Learning Activity Book

Songs and Fingerplays
    * Chickamy, Chickamy, Crany Crow

Science Activity 
 Choose an activity from Science Play

Let's Read and Find Out About Science Level 1
     * Chirping Crickets
     * From Caterpillar to Butterfly

Preschool Social Studies

Can I just say, if I haven't said it already or if you haven't drawn the conclusion yet,  I'm addicted to children's books! One of the joys in my life is perusing Amazon or bookstores or the library looking at children's books! Because I was an elementary school teacher and just because I'm a children's book nerd, I've come to know many of the children's books' authors and illustrators. So I try to pick out the best of both for the various booklists on this site. 

Below is a list of books to incorporate into your reading for preschool ages 3-5. The themes for social studies for my preschoolers are family, neighbors, communities, farms, manners and a smattering about our country. 

A Year at Maple Hill Farm
What Do People Do All Day
Animal Friends at Maple Hill Farm
Town and Country
Animal Orchestra
Our Flag
The Seven Little Postmen
The Please and Thank You Book
Polite Elephant
The Jolly Postman
The Last Stop on Market Street
A Chair for My Mother
Yard Sale
Home
A Fine Dessert
Oxcart Man
What Happens on Wednesdays
The Reader
Nana in the City
Buffalo Music
Policeman Small
Daddies
Nana Upstairs, Nana Downstairs
The Animal Fair
Maybelle The Cable Car
Pancakes; Pancakes
The Little House
Katy and the Big Snow
When I was Young in the Mountains
The Old Woman Who Names Things
George Washington's Teeth
Thunder cake
Charlie Needs a Cloak
The Baby Sister
Henry Hikes to Fitchburg
Farm 

Preschool Weekly Activities - Letter B

Letter B
Click here for an introduction to the preschool curriculum and here for my preschool philosophy.

Letter The A-Z Picture Book by Gyo Fugikawa - Read letter B pages

Poetry - Read Brooms in Rhyme Time by Tomie De Paola, or an A poem from Read Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young

Literature - Read a story from Tomie De Paola's Favorite Nursery Tales 

Bible Read about how Jesus calmed the storm in the boat in your favorite children's Bible or Bible Story Book of choice. I either use The Jesus Storybook Bible or The Look And See ESV Bible for children.

Scripture Memory - "Jesus said, 'I am the Bread of Life'" John 6:48 from Songs for Saplings.

Picture Books - Read books about Bears, Birds, Bugs, butterflies, boats, or beavers!
   We read these:
     * Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear by Nancy White Carlstrom (BFIAR)
     * Bee Dance by Rick Chrustowski (science)
     * The Bee Tree by Patricia Polacco (FIAR 3)
     * Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson
     * Blueberries For Sal bt Robert McCloskey (BFIAR)
    

Other picture book suggestions: 
     * Are you a Bee? by Judy Allen
     * Buster by Kevin Henkes
     * Little Bear by Elsa Holmelund
     * Babushka and the Three Kings by Patricia Polacco
     * Beach by Alisha Cooper
     * We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Helen Oxenbury
     * Babar and His Family by Laurent de Brushoff  
     * How to Hide a Butterfly by Ruth Heller (science)

Activities (we only did the ones in bold, though I had plans for more)

     * Eat Bananas and/or blueberries
     * Count Blueberries in cereal/oatmeal
     * Go on a bug hunt
     * Make banana bread or a banana smoothie
     * Count Letter B's on a page in a favorite book. 
     * Make Letter B crafts from here. Bees and butterflies
     * Make Letter B's out of Playdoh or any of these others ways from this list. 
     * Do other activities from this site or from Alphabet Art

Skills Do a few pages in Rod and Staff Preschool Books A, C, D, E, or F. and/or Wipe Clean: Early Learning Activity Book

Songs and Fingerplays
    BINGO

Science Activity 
 Choose an activity from Science Play

Let's Read and Find Out About Science Level 1
     * Bugs are Insects
     * From Caterpillar to Butterfly