Funny Fishy Faces and French Toast!

We have made it to the letter F. We are ready for some Fun so let's get started!

Fishy Face!

It is noon on Monday and I am just getting this posted! Yikes! Where is the time going?

I went to bed early last night with a headache. I knew Monday morning would be a hectic time to try and get this posted, but sometimes things come up.

This week we will be learning about and focusing on the letter "F". Each week I am surprised at how any teachable moments pop up that correspond to the letter we are learning about. We are going to Disney this week. I try not to let events interrupt our daily lessons, but DISNEY???? Hello...I will find a way to learn about the letter "F". We are going to have FUN FUN FUN with our Favorite Disney Friends!

Memory verse: "For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Monday: Recipe: French Toast

Tuesday: Library storytime, Finger painting

Wednesday: Bible: Forgiveness and Language lessons on beginning sounds "F"

Thursday: Disney

Friday: Disney

Have FUN this week!

Are You Excited For "E" Week?

We are excited for "E" week. I have to tell you that "D" week did not go as well as the 3 previous weeks. We had a few interruptions in our schedule and took time to do some non-d related activities.

We took a walk almost every morning. We made donuts. Katie drew letters during her bubble bath. We read books. I told her about David and Goliath. She was a David fan immediately as she does not like giants. We read in her children's Bible all the stories about David. Katie counted on her calendar and can now count to 31 with minimal, if no help. I plan to teach her to count backwards and then by two's. I wrote all that to explain that we did do learning, but it varied a little from my normal planned week and I think that is okay.

I have a feeling this week is going to be a little off too. It is "E" week. I am excited to finally know what I am going to teach her that starts with the letter "E".

Memory verse:

"Encourage one another, while it is still today." Hebrews 3:13

Monday: Recipe: Easy cake cookies ( I will post the recipe later.)
Tuesday: Art: edible play-doh (peanut-butter play-doh)
Wednesday: Bible lesson: Eve
Thursday: Language: beginning sounds "e" and reading
Friday: Science: elephants (Since Katie loves them we can learn more about them.)

Some of our everyday activities include: taking a walk and talking about anything new we see, calendar math, reading books, watching Leap Frog Word Making Factory video, saying our memory verse and practicing our old ones, playing games like Memory and Candyland, and cutting and pasting.

I hope you have a great "E" week. May it be exciting, energizing, easy, effective, enlightening, enjoyable, excellent and extraordinary!

Week #4 The Letter "D"

Instead of Charming, curly-haired, cutie...I have to say darling, dainty, doll baby!

It is "D" week.

I list my lesson plans here as a record for myself and to offer up ideas that you may want to try. But you must know that I do more than these activities with her. If I think of something that fits in our week I do it. Like last week we gathered up tons of stuff and took it to Goodwill. I told Katie about charity. I figured that was good use of a "C" word.

So let me start this weeks plans by saying there will be some dancing going on in our house this week.

Memory verse:
"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4
(I cannot even express what that verse means to me. I love that the Lord is touching my heart through this too.)

Monday: Calendar math (morning) and Recipe donuts...yes donuts. I will post pictures!

Tuesday: Art: Drawing

Wednesday: Bible: David

Thursday: Language "d" words, beginning sounds and puzzle book

Friday: Science: oohh let's get dirty: dirt and digging!

I look forward to dancing, digging in dirt, making donuts, drawing, and daring to dream.

Life is a gift so enjoy each and everyday!

"C" is for Cutie

We are ready for "C" week. I am thrilled at how well things are going for us in our homeschooling. Part of the reason it is going so well is because my little curly-haired cutie loves learning! So often she is learning something new and doesn't even realize it. She will be 3 next month (which I will not dwell on) but while she is two we are certainly taking it easy. I know there are kids that start reading when they are 2 or 3 years old and parents today want some kind of super genuis, but that is really not my intent. I will be thrilled if she is a good reader when she is ready for kindergarten. That would be an excellent start for any kid.

Pushing Katie hard now will only force her to grow up too fast. I want to cling to every day not rush her development. Many times you can't rush their development and that will only frustrate you as a parent. Kids will learn to read on their own time. It really won't matter if Suzy can read at 3 years old and Charlie starts to read at 6.

As a parent you need to decide what your child needs. If your child can read then by all means buy them books, but if they just want to play then let them play and be kids. This doesn't mean you never expose them to reading concepts. It is not necessary to get out the flashcards everyday and fret over learning each word now.

When I was teaching first grade, I was bombarded by parents who wanted to know what more they could do at home to help their kids in school. My answer was READ to them. Your child will learn new words, phrasing, concepts of print, story patterns (beginning-middle-end) and so much more just from hearing you read. You are modeling good reading skills. Next to reading I would say if you want your kids to excell in learning you should talk to them. I don't mean..."What do you want for breakfast? Which show do you want to watch?.....Make time to sit and talk to your kids. Take them for ice cream and talk. Go to the playground and instead of talking to your adult friend chase your kiddo, play, and talk with them.

Our Plans this week for the letter "C"

Memory Verse:

"Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

Monday: Recipe: Colorful Confetti (Funfetti) Cake and icing

Tuesday: Art: Collage

Wednesday: Bible: Creation

Thursday: Language: Make and take little "C" books and other "C" reading activities

Friday: Science: Colors-Mixing and making colors

What a fun week!! I added a few other ideas on the sidebar. Many of these concepts can be used with a variety of age ranges.

Beautiful and Brains

Yes, It is "B" week! Katie brings me so much joy each day. I love that I get to be home with her and teach her. We have many fun things planned for the week. Here are the plans.

Memory Verse: "Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10

Everyday we read 5-10 books throughout the day and do calendar math in the morning.
We also read a toddler devotional book. It is short and sweet, but shows her the importance of being in God's word and making time to spend with God. We've been praying with her for about a year now. She is so sweet and honest in prayer. I look forward to teaching her about blessings this week.

Monday: We will make Banana Pudding

Tuesday: We will playing with Beads making Bracelets and necklaces.

Wednesday: For our Bible lesson we will discuss "Blessings"

Thursday: This is our language day. We will look at words that start with the letter "B" and do various activities. Lots of reading too!

Friday: Field trip (sorta of) We are going outside to look for Bugs! I made a mini bulletin board with bug pictures and words. FUN!

This is going to "B" a fun week!!!!

Lesson Plans August 3-7

Week #1:

Memory Verse
" All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23

Monday:
AM: Make an August calendar and put dates on it with Katie.
PM: (Recipe) Make Applesauce: need apples, sugar, cinnamon, and water.

Tuesday:
AM: Count on calendar
PM: (Art) Make Apple prints: need apples, paint, and paper

Wednesday:
AM: Color calendar making an AB pattern (hint: red,blue,red,blue...)
PM: (Bible) Lesson on Adam

Thursday:
AM: Calendar
Language: Guess-Me Poems & Puzzles A book
Initial Consonants Letter A book
"A" words

Friday:
AM: Calendar
Science: Field Trip-Aquarium
Look for Animals that start with the letter A



The books that are mentioned above are on my blog. You don't have to have the same books to follow along. There are so many resources out there. Use whatever you have to expose your little one to the letter A this week. I will incorporate the letter A as much as I can. There is so much you can do with this. My plans are basic and I want to start off easy. I will post pictures and updates throughout the week. This is basically my homeschool journal/scrapbook. Next year I can look back at this and be amazed! I hope you can see an element of fun in my plans. Learning should be fun....so have fun with it!!!!