March 31, 2017 by maggielane

Flash Card Friday!!

I’m starting a new routine for our homeschool. Friday is usually our day for quizzes and reviewing what we’ve done over the week. I realized the other day that we have flash cards for almost every subject, so to make it a little more fun we’re going to start reviewing on Fridays with our flash cards. And we’re calling it Flash Card Friday.

Here are our favorite flash cards:

Veritas Press Art History Flash Cards

Veritas Press History Cards

American History Flash Cards (These may be out of print.)

Veritas Press Bible Flash Cards

Classical Conversations Science Cards

Math in a Flash Cards

Abeka Concepts Math Flash Cards

Spalding Phonics

Animals of all Kinds Cards (for the little ones)

Animal Pocket Flash Cards (for the bigger ones)

Music for Little Mozarts Piano Flash Cards

Note: None of the above links are affiliate links.

May 23, 2016 by maggielane

Our One-Room Schoolhouse: Homeschool 2016-2017

As a young man, my grandfather was the schoolmaster of a one-room schoolhouse in rual Missouri in the 1930’s. He got the last school in county which allowed him and my grandmother to marry. I have some of his school books and this year I plan to adpot a one-room schoolhouse approach in our homeschool. With a 4th grader, 3rd grader, Kindergartener, and baby I can’t be a full-time teacher to all my kids at their own grade level. We will do some subjects like history, geography, composition, science, music and art that we will all do together adjusting for each grade level. My big kids will be doing a lot of their work independently this year and will be helping me teach the younger ones as needed.

I made up our lesson plans for next year over our family vacation this past month. I didn’t post any lesson plans last year since we moved and I didn’t unpack our school books or know what we were doing until right before we started school. So in this post I’ll post what we’ve used for 2nd-4th grade.

I hope that you can get some ideas for your homeschool. Read on to see what we’re using. (Note: these are all direct links. None are affiliate links.)

Memory Work:

Classical Conversations Foundations Guide

Math:

Abeka Math Facts Posters (3rd-8th grade)

Abeka Math Concept Flash Cards (3rd -4th grade)

Saxon 3

Abeka Arithmetic 3

Abeka Arithmetic 3 Tests and Speed Drills

Saxon 5/4

Note: We used the Abeka 3 Arithmetic in between Saxon 4 and Saxon 5/4 for extra computation practice and to solidify math fact skills.)

Bible:

God’s Word Bible (5th grade)

Child’s Story Bible (3rd-4th grade, Pre-K through 2 as read aloud)

Phonics/Spelling:

The Writing Road to Reading

Spalding Ponics Flash Cards

Latin:

Latin for Children Primer A

Grammar:

Memoria Press English Grammar Recitation

Composition:

Writing with Ease (Instructors Manual)
Level 1 (K-1st)
Level 2 (2nd-3rd)
Level 3 (3rd-4th)
Level 4 (4th-5th)

Reading:

Chapter books from your local library

History:

We used The Story of the World series as a read aloud for all our children. Begin with Volume 1 and continue on.

Story of the World Vol. 1 (used K and 1st grade)
Story of the World Vol. 2 (used 1st and 2nd grade)
Story of the World Vol. 3 (used 2nd-3rd grade)
Story of the World Vol. 4 (used 3rd-4th grade)

Geography:

We use the Classical Conversations Foundations Guide for our geography memory work and tie our map work to the history in the Story of the World books.

Literature:

2nd-3rd Grade:

Read Alouds: Heidi, Chronicles of Narnia

The Courage of Sarah Noble

The Mouse and the Motorcycle

A Bear Called Paddington

Mr. Popper’s Penguins

Benjamin West and His Cat Grimalkin

Charlotte’s Web

Misty of Chincoteague

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh

3rd-4th Grade:

The Velveteen Rabbit

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

All of a Kind Family

Enchanted Castle

Story of the Treasure Seekers

Little Britches

Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates

Carry on Mr. Bowditch

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Science:

Art/Music:

Drawing with Children

Discovering Great Artists

Meet the Great Composers Book 1

Meet the Great Composers Book 2

September 17, 2014 by maggielane

Homeschool Book List: Pre-K through 2nd Grades

Here’s the books we’re using this year organized by grade level. The list includes suggested books for Pre-K up through Second Grade. If you’d like to see a list organized by subject, you can visit the Bookcase in the School House.

Note: The links below are Amazon Affiliate links. See Disclosure here.

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Curriculum:

The Well-Trained Mind, by Susan Wise-Bauer
The Noah Plan Literature Curriculum Guide
The Noah Plan History and Geography Curriculum Guide

Pre-K/Kindergarten:

Literature: (books to read aloud)
The Little House In the Big Woods, by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Little House on the Prairie, by Laura Ingalls Wilder
On the Banks of Plum Creek, by Laura Ingalls Wilder
By the Shores of Silver Lake, by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Little Town on the Prairie, by Laura Ingalls Wilder
The First Four Years, by Laura Ingalls Wilder
These Happy Golden Years, by Laura Ingalls Wilder
On the Way Home, by Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Little House Cookbook

Homemade mini-abacus

Math:
Right Start Math Abacus
Math Made Easy: Kindergarten Workbook
Math 1: Homeschool Kit (Homeschool Math Grade 1)
Math In A Flash – Addition Card Set
Math Manipulative Kit (for Saxon K-3)

Phonograms/Spelling:
Writing Road to Reading, by Spalding

Reading:
Bob Books, Set 1: Beginning Readers
Little Owl Book Set 1-8
Little Books 1-10
Dr. Seuss’s Beginner Book Collection

Bible:
The Child’s Story Bible

Science:
Bubbles, Rainbows and Worms
First Animal Encyclopedia
Nat Geo Wild Animal Atlas
Animal Atlas: Animal Passport

Geography:
State-by-State Atlas
Fabric Panel World Map

Art:
My Very First Art Book
Drawing With Children

Kindergarten/First Grade:

First day of school

Math:
Right Start Math Abacus
Saxon Math 2: Home Study Kit
Math In A Flash – Addition Card Set
Math In A Flash Subtraction Flash Cards
Math Manipulative Kit (for Saxon K-3)

Phonograms/Spelling:
Writing Road to Reading, by Spalding

Reading:
Bob Books, Set 1: Beginning Readers
Little Owl Book Set 1-8
Little Books 1-10
Dr. Seuss’s Beginner Book Collection
Bob Books Set 2
BOB Books: Sight Words: Kindergarten
Danny and the Dinosaur
Little Bear (An I Can Read Book)
King Jack and the Dragon
Caps for Sale
Nutshell Library (Caldecott Collection)

History:
The Story of the World
Past Worlds: “The Times” Atlas of Archaeology

Bible:
The Child’s Story Bible
Little Pilgrim’s Progress
The Westminster Shorter Catechism
Bible Atlas

Fabric map panel for geography games.

Science:
Know Your Body: The Atlas of Anatomy
The Body Book

Geography:
Fabric Panel World Map

Art:
Drawing With Children
Art: Over 2,500 Works
Art: A World History
365 Things to Draw and Paint (Activity Books)

Music:
Meet the Great Composers Book 1
Meet the Great Composers: Book 2

First Grade/Second Grade:

Literature: (books to read aloud)
Hans Christian Andersen: The Complete Fairy Tales and Stories (books to read aloud)
The Lord of the Rings: 50th Anniversary, One Vol. Edition (books to read aloud)
The Chronicles of Narnia (books to read aloud)
Heidi, by Johanna Spyri

Math:
Right Start Math Abacus
Saxon Math 3 Homeschool Kit
Math In A Flash – Addition Card Set
Math In A Flash Subtraction Flash Cards
Math In A Flash Multiplication Flash Cards
Math Manipulative Kit (for Saxon K-3)

Three kids working on their copy books.

Phonograms/Spelling:
Writing Road to Reading, by Spalding

Reading:
Bob Books, Set 1: Beginning Readers
Dr. Seuss’s Beginner Book Collection
Bob Books Set 2
BOB Books: Sight Words: Kindergarten
Danny and the Dinosaur
Little Bear (An I Can Read Book)
King Jack and the Dragon
Caps for Sale
Nutshell Library (Caldecott Collection)
Bob Books: Sight Words, 1st Grade
Bob Books: Rhyming Words
Penny and Her Doll (I Can Read Book 1)
Penny and Her Song (I Can Read Book 1)
Penny and Her Marble (I Can Read Book 1)
Biscuit (My First I Can Read)
Biscuit Goes to School (My First I Can Read)
Mr. Putter & Tabby Pour the Tea
Mr. Putter & Tabby Feed the Fish
Mr. Putter & Tabby See the Stars
Mr. Putter & Tabby Take the Train
Mr. Putter & Tabby Spin the Yarn
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
If You Take a Mouse to School
If You Take a Mouse to the Movies

History:
The Story of the World Vol. 2

Bible:
The Child’s Story Bible
Little Pilgrim’s Progress
The Westminster Shorter Catechism
Bible Atlas

Science:
Exploring Creation With Astronomy
Astronomy by Memoria Press

Geography:
Merriam-Webster’s Student Atlas
Fabric Panel World Map

Latin:
Prima Latina Set
Lingua Angelica I, student book
Lingua Angelica CD
Lingua Angelica Song Book
Lingua Angelica I Teacher Manual

Art:
Drawing With Children
Art: Over 2,500 Works
Art: A World History
365 Things to Draw and Paint (Activity Books)

Music:
Lingua Angelica I, student book
Lingua Angelica CD
Lingua Angelica Song Book
Lingua Angelica I Teacher Manual

Older Grades:

If you have an older child and need suggestions for what to use with them consider these….

Curriculum: The Well-Trained Mind by Susan Wise-Bauer, Veritas Press
Math: Saxon Math, choose the appropriate grade level
Phonograms/Spelling: Writing Road to Reading or Spelling Power
Reading/Literature: choose readers or classic literature based on their reading/grade level from the public library. The Book Tree is a good resource if you need suggestions based on grade level or want to know what grade level a book is at. It reviews quality literature and gives a synopsis of each book.|
History: The Story of the World series. Choose the one based on the age/grade of your child. Or Beautiful Feet has many good resources for a literature based approach to history.
Science: Apologia Science offers rigorous science programs for elementary, middle school and high school. Note: this is a creation based science curriculum.
Geography: The Noah Plan History and Geography Curriculum Guide
Art:Drawing With Children

May 22, 2014 by maggielane

Summer Learning Activities

The school year is ending. Now, what do we do with these kids all summer? Listed here are some toys, games and activities that I like to fall back on when my kids need something to do and I want their brains to be engaged. The ideas listed here are all indoor ideas and are geared for Pre-K to 2nd grade. Congratulations on coming to the end of your school year. I hope it was a successful one and that the summer holds great things to com!

Note: Most of the links here are Amazon Affiliate links, which means that I’ll get a few pennies if you click on one and purchase something. Full Disclosure here.

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Indoor Sandbox: This is what we pull out on days where we can’t go outside to play. Good for sweltering summery days where you want to stay in the air-conditioning.

Our indoor sandbox.

Puzzles:

Chess:

Checkers:

Card Games:

Memory/Matching Games:

Board Games:

Coloring:

Note: I prefer that my kids color with colored pencils as they are somewhat eraseable, and harder for the little ones to eat than crayons and markers. Also since they have no erasers, the toddler can’t bite them off the end of the pencil and choke on it. Good all the way around. I like Crayola best and they have the boldest color.

Paint:

Floor Games:

We turned this fabric map into a quick geography game. Each kid gets to travel around the world by stepping on the location named. Or have race and see who can get there first.

Playdough:

September 19, 2013 by maggielane

Free printable morning worksheets, Grades K-2

Browse the worksheets I use with my kids every morning. They are all free downloadable Word documents. They follow the skills used in Saxon 1 and 2. I’ll be adding more as the school year progresses. Feel free to modify them to meet your needs. Visit the School House to see the complete list. There are also free Hundred’s Charts available for download too. Happy schooling!

July 19, 2013 by maggielane

Make an air-conditioned sandbox

This is a bonus post this week in honor of the high temperature today in New York City reaching 100 degrees.

What to do when you’re stuck inside all week due to the heat?

Today we made an air-conditioned sandbox. Or an “sandbox” indoors. 🙂

Since we couldn’t go outside we improvised.

We spread a large sheet on the carpet (as pictured above).

Then we raided the pantry for all the partial bags of old
beans, rice, lentils that hadn’t been used in ages.

Dump them all in.

Instant “sandbox.”

We used the box that our building blocks are usually stored in, but you could also use a cardboard box, lego tubs, laundry baskets, dishpan, canvas storage boxes, an old suitcase or even a large plastic or stainless steel mixing bowl.

(Note: Obviously this activity would not be appropriate for babies or young
children who still put things in their mouths. Lots of choking hazards here.)

Add some colored toys or manipuatives and you have an
instant sensory, color sorting game.

Grab some cups and spoons and start digging.

Stay COOL! Enjoy your summer.

July 15, 2013 by maggielane

Homeschool Book List

Looking for some inspiration for your homeschool curriculum for this year? Here is a list of books that we have used organized by grade level. The list includes suggested books for Pre-K up through First Grade. If you’d like to see a list organized by subject, you can visit the Bookcase in the School House.

———————————————-

Curriculum: The Well-Trained Mind, by Susan Wise-Bauer

Pre-K/Kindergarten:

Literature: (books to read aloud)
The Little House In the Big Woods, by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Little House on the Prairie, by Laura Ingalls Wilder
On the Banks of Plum Creek
The Little House Cookbook
Peter Pan, by J.M. Barrie
Tarzan of the Apes, by Edgar Rice Burroughs