Camp Whimsy

A is for Apple

We have been busy with school. The week before last we studied A for apple. I enjoyed this week so much! We looked at different apple varieties. We found the star on the inside of an apple. We looked at the seeds. Then I cut the apples up and we made applesauce.

We read almost a dozen new books on apples.

We made cards using apples for stamps. 

We made art using our hands to form the trunk of an apple tree. We loved apple week. And God showed me he cares for our schooling: Friday of apple week I felt bummed out that I had wanted to read them Johnny Appleseed and I had failed to check it out from the library, I took the kids to my mom's house on Friday evening for a sleepover and she had a stack of books to read to them that night. On the top of the stack: Johnny Appleseed! The next morning when I was headed to my mom's house to pick up the kids I was thanking God for providing Johnny Appleseed for the kids. And I was thinking to myself: now if I can just find a nest for next week's "N for nest" theme. When I arrived at my mom's house Strauss and Audrey had a robin's nest they found that morning when Papa was shaking the walnut trees! So I am truly grateful for our homeschool and for the way God is providing help with the details. Our life is full and hectic at times, but I am loving this time.

 

The Moon Might Be Milk

 
Last week in home school we focused on M for moon. We completed our study of this topic with The Moon Might Be Milk by Lisa Shulman.

 

This book tells the story of a girl and her animal friends and what they think the moon is made of. In the end they make moon cookies using the ingredients (flour, sugar, milk, butter etc.) they think the moon might be made of.

 

 
The recipe for making moon cookies is at the back of the book.

 
Very simple, we rolled our cookies in sugar before slightly pressing with the glass, and only baked our cookies for 9 minutes.

 

My kids LOVE baking things. Measure, mix, make and bake!

 
Ready for baking...

 
...now we are waiting...

 
...M is for Moon cookies!

 
I am really happy with our unit on the moon! Audrey completed this chart of the phases of the moon on her own and she has been happy to tell friends and family members all she has learned about the moon!

Counting To 100

 
This week in school we began our journey of counting to 100. We have a pack of 100 straws and each day we will add one straw until we reach 100.

 
We also add a new number to our 100 chart daily. I am looking for things marked by count that the kids can enjoy counting along the way, such as 12 cookies in a package, 18 markers in a box, 50 crayons etc. Do you have any suggestions?

Back to...Kindergarten

 
Monday we will begin kindergarten in our home school. I have been working the past few weeks to tidy up the school room and prepare lessons. Audrey and Strauss are very excited to be starting kindergarten. We will complete our lessons in the mornings and have activities, reading and play times in the afternoons.

 
I have plenty of activities and supplies to get us through our first year of home school. I've been stocking up for a while and my mom (who homeschooled my sister's and I at various stages) has given us a nice supply of materials.

 
I have a station where I keep the week's work and supplies at hand.

 
Audrey began piano lessons this summer and will practice as part of her schooling. We are also incorporating study of classical music and composers.

 

I have a folder box of the year's lessons where I can add ideas and plan ahead for each week's lesson as I find other sources, project and curriculum ideas.

 
We are using a complete Bible based curriculum that I purchased. I found this great old complete set of "The Bible Story" for $2.00. These are like the ones I remember seeing at doctor and dentist offices as a little girl. This set was published in the 1950's.

 
I have been collecting used books on science, animals, and any bit of information I think may be good for the kids education. So we are off on a new adventure. It is a bit scary to think of educating your children at home. Because the message we often receive is that parents are not capable of educating their children and they need the institution of public school in order to succeed academically and function in society. My goal in teaching my children is not to teach them so they can pass a test or recite memorized knowledge. My goal is to instill in them a hunger for knowledge. An appreciation of learning that will stay with them throughout their lives. I am not going into this expecting to home school forever. Just going to give it my all this year and let next year worry about itself! So I may be absent from this blog even more than I have been, heck I may just have to take a blog time out, because my hands are full with the task at hand, and it's a big one that requires my full attention. I never thought I'd be going back to kindergarten, but here I go!!!!!!!

Family Portrait Wall and Obsessive Taping

 
Strauss has been busy making original works of art of each of his family members. He is a prolific artist, perhaps because he really enjoys the process of creating or maybe it is just because he really likes tape. I let him tape his finished works of art to the wall in the school room. Now he wants to tape every picture he makes to the wall. I am running out of wall. He started taping pictures to his bedroom wall. Yesterday I did not let him tape his latest creation to the wall. That didn't go over so well. He is still after me this morning to let him tape his picture up in his bedroom. I think I will give in and just give him the tape. Now I know what I can get him for his fourth birthday next month... a tape dispenser of his own.

Spring Reading-Bunnies and Chicks

 
My children are delighted with the arrival of spring. It has provided a great source of discussion in our school lessons and home life. This week I displayed spring themed books on their library shelf in our class room, mainly books about bunnies and chicks. Here are some favorite scenes from some of our books to get you in the mood for spring...

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

And now my favorite verse on the subject of spring, one I think to myself every time I hear spring mentioned.....

"Spring, Spring, Spring!" sang the frog.

"Spring!" said the groundhog.

"Spring, Spring, Spring!" sang the robin.

It was Spring.

The leaves burst out.

The flowers burst out.

And robins burst out of their eggs.

It was Spring.

    -From Home For A Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown.

 

Happy spring to you!