2014-2015 School Plans

This is a very tentative plan. I mean, it is only the end of June.

Family Studies:

r       Truthquest History (American, Exploration-1800)

r       Bible, continue Catherine Vos The Child’s Story Bible

Westminster Shorter Catechism

Scripture Memory Box, select scriptures

r       Literature: (Simply Charlotte Mason module 2)

Stuart Little by E.B. White

Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Five Children and It by E. Nesbit

The Jungle Books by Rudyard Kipling

Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White (optional, reread for Lily)

Black Beauty by Anna Sewell

Aesop’s Fables by Milo Winter

(Possibly Parables of Nature by Margaret Getty or Among the Farmyard People by Clara Dillingham Pierson; I’m still undecided and both of these would be more than just a literature reading as well.)

r       Poetry: Various selections of poetry for children (i.e., Rudyard Kipling’s Poetry for Young People)

r       Shakespeare: Tales from Shakespeare, Charles and Mary Lamb and/or Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare by Edith Nesbit

 

r       Composer Study: Ludwig Van Beethoven and Wolfgang Mozart

r       Artist Study: Van Gogh and John Constable

r       Hymn Study: (Simply Charlotte Mason Group 1)

I Sing the Mighty Power of God

Like a River Glorious

To God Be the Glory

Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise

Crown Him with Many Crowns

O Come, All Ye Faithful

r       Nature Study: Outdoor-life, One Small Square: Backyard

r       Science: The Burgess Bird Book for Children by Thornton Burgess, How Birds Behave by Neil Ardley, various field guides and picture books

r       Handicrafts: Life-skills, bread baking, art/painting, usable crafts such as jewelry

r       Personal Development: Habit Training- Laying Down the Rails for Children: A Habit Training Companion by Lanaya Gore

Independent Studies:

Lily:

r       Math: Math-U-See Beta, continue to work on time and money

r       Reading: Continue readers, Treadwell, Elson, McGuffey, etc.

r       Copywork: Handwriting Lessons Through Literature: The Elson Primer and

A Reason for Handwriting

JJ:

r       Math: Math U See Primer

r       Reading: Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons

 

      Copywork: Handwriting Without Tears

Nature Study: A Bird Egg Mystery

Yesterday my little JJ ran to me to excitedly inform me the bluebirds were back and he saw a bird come out of the house. Lily piped right in, "Oh yes, Momma! I saw it too this morning at breakfast! Can we see?! Can we see?!" This was puzzling to me since the bluebirds' eggs had already hatched and we haven't seen them in several weeks.

We decided to take a peek and this is what we found...

 

 

See the two different types of eggs? This was a first for me. We spent the evening watching the nest to see what type of bird went in and it was sure enough our bluebirds. Apparently, bluebirds, like some other birds will hatch two sets of offspring in Spring and Summer.

 

Unfortunately, as I researched why there were two different types of eggs I came to some sad news. The other eggs are parasitic. They are most likely from a Brown-headed cowbird. The cowbird probably crept into the bluebirds' nest and actually destroyed some of their eggs. On top of that, the cowbird will hatch first and require more food as it grows larger than the bluebird hatchlings. Momma Bluebird will unknowingly care for the cowbird hatchlings as her own.

 

Removing the eggs aren't an option for the honest person since they are protected under the U.S. Migratory Bird Act. It is possible the cowbird will destroy the nest if her eggs are removed as well. I'm also hesitant to remove them because the bluebirds may think I'm messing with their eggs. Daddy Bluebird can be quiet vicious. Which brings up another issue. One of the ways to deter a cowbird is to not visit a nest. Now, I'm left wondering if our baby bird watching is what set up our bluebirds for the parasite.

 

We'll wait it out and see. And next year not hang out at the birdhouse so often!

Outdoor Life: Fishing

"An observant child should be put in the way of things worth observing. ~Charlotte Mason
 (Vol 1, II, Out-Of-Door Life For The Children, p.69)

 

 

An Unexpected Visitor: Part 1

I can’t make this stuff up.

Yesterday, June 12 I sent this message to my friend, Trisha, on Facebook. She’s currently having a mouse problem.

Allow me to share my mice story. A few years ago I kept telling my husband that I was sure we had mice in our vents. I was positive they kept waking Anna up at night (she was still in a crib). And our cat would just sit and stare at the vents. He thought I was crazy. I kept on him. "PLEASE," I would say, "there is this terrible smell in Anna's room. I KNOW there are 'rats'!" FINALLY, months later, he looks and by George, there are mice NESTING in our vents! Our dog decided to warm himself under the house and tear down our duct work. The mice from the hay field beside us made straightway for our house. Eventually, we caught DOZENS of the little varmints in our vents and under our house. At night we could hear mouse traps going off! We even set traps in our bedroom vents. An exterminator was called and our entire duct work had to be repaired. I made Nate bleach every "rat" he caught in a bag because I was sure the Bubonic Plague was going to be passed on to my children. They even chewed through my DRYER vent (that same stinky smell) and was eating our cat food. Nate found one sitting on our trash can in the laundry area. Eww. All this to say...I feel your pain.

 

Like I said, I can’t make this stuff up.

Last night at 12:30AM, (or for you technical folks, “early this morning”), my husband comes into our bedroom with a flashlight in obvious distress. I, being dead asleep, bounce up in the bed, heart racing. And thus begins the “whisper yelling.”

“WHAT?! WHAT is it?”

 “I don’t know what we’re going to do about this. I heard a noise the other night and was worried the mice had gotten back in the vents. I heard it again and took my flashlight over there...and it’s a ‘possum. A ‘possum! We have a possum in our vents!”

 

“Oh my word! Couldn’t you have chosen a better time than 1:00AM to tell me this? How do you know!?”

“ I just looked and it’s either a possum or an 8lb rat! What are we going to do?”

 “Nothing tonight.”

So ceased the whisper yelling. I then hear him mumbling around the house and moving a case of water over the vent in case it can push through the vent. I couldn’t help but laugh at this crazy predicament. How in the world did an opossum get under our house? And then I started to panic, what if it pushes the vent out? All I could see when I closed my eyes was a big fat ‘possum waddling through my house! I started counting the vents in our house he could possibly escape from...eleven. At least eleven. Getting back to sleep was quite an issue...

(Stay tuned for how we handle our unexpected visitor.)

But What About the Wet Days?

"But what about the wet days? The fact is, that rain, unless of the heaviest does the children no harm at all if they are suitably clothed." Charlotte Mason, Vol 1, Part 2, pg. 87)

 

 

The Making of a Home Library

Since we intend to use living books for home education, I've been spending a lot of time hitting up yard sales and used bookstores to build our own library. We also take advantage of a private lending library in our town full of wonderful living books.

Today's finds were great despite the overwhelming size of the store. Many of these will be useful to us when we use Truthquest History for the first time this year. I found some just for fun and Little Bear for an early reader.

I am so thankful for Charlotte Mason's philosophy of education and homeschooling. I have always loved books, but I now have a whole new view on a good book and how a book is able tc teach character, morals, and truth.

An Idea for a Week

I'm a planner. So, I'm already planning for next year. This is an idea of what I want the week to look like for my Kindergartener and first grader. This probably will not happen. I will have a three and two year old. I'll just be happy if we do anything. Again, this an idea.

Monday
Breakfast  Bible/Scripture Memory
9:00AM    Chores
9:30AM    Math
-11:30AM Reading
               Copywork
               Science
Lunch       Poetry
12:30PM- Free Time
1:00PM   
1:30PM    Free Time/Piano Practice
2:00PM    Literature Read Aloud
2:30PM    Habit Training
3:00PM-   Quiet Time
3:30PM    
4:00PM    Free Time
Tuesday
Breakfast  Bible/Catechism
9:00AM    Chores
9:30AM    Math
-11:30AM Reading
               Copywork
               History
Lunch       Picture Study
12:30PM- Free Time
1:00PM   
1:30PM    Free Time/Piano Practice
2:00PM    Literature Read Aloud
2:30PM    Nature Study
3:00PM-   Quiet Time
3:30PM    

4:00PM   Free Time
Wednesday
Breakfast  Bible/Scripture Memory
9:00AM    Chores
9:30AM    Math
-11:30AM Reading
               Copywork
               Science
Lunch       Poetry
12:30PM- Free Time
1:00PM   
1:30PM    Free Time/Piano Practice
2:00PM    Literature Read Aloud
2:30PM    Games/Puzzles/Color
3:00PM-   Quiet Time
3:30PM    
4:00PM    Free Time
 Thursday
Breakfast  Bible/Catechism
9:00AM    Chores
9:30AM    Math
-11:30AM Reading
               Copywork
               History
Lunch       Composer Study
12:30PM- Free Time
1:00PM   
1:30PM    Free Time/Piano Practice
2:00PM    Literature Read Aloud
2:30PM    Habit Training
3:00PM-   Quiet Time
3:30PM    
4:00PM    Free Time
Friday
Breakfast  Bible/Hymn Study
9:00AM    Chores
9:30AM    Math
-11:30AM Reading
               Copywork
               Geography
Lunch       Poetry
12:30PM- Free Time
1:00PM   
1:30PM    Free Time/Piano Practice
2:00PM    Literature Read Aloud
2:30PM    Art/Handicrafts
3:00PM-   Quiet Time
3:30PM    
4:00PM    Free Time
 
I apologize for the format. It would make more sense if I could do a table. Doing a table on blogger is hideous. This is a basic idea of what I want the kids to do for a week. During their "free time," I will be reading to the "little" littles, getting them ready for naps and/or doing chores and preparing meals.

Nature Study: Dobson-fly

We recently purchased a beautiful piece of property on the Holston River.

While visiting there tonight I found this odd creature crawling on the ground. It's a Dobson-fly, or Hellgrammite. My husband uses them to fish and they are quite scary looking!