homeschooling

fiar: katy and the big snow

Posted by on Apr 24, 2012 in books, FIAR, homeschooling, language & literature | 2 comments

fiar: katy and the big snow

I love this book. Today Fisher, Annes, and I curled up in my bed and read Katy and the Big Snow for the gazillionth time. We found all sorts of things on the map and Annesley cheered Katy on as she worked herself through the Geopolis snow drifts. Virginia Lee Burton created stories my children beg for over and over again and I love her for it. I would kiss her if I was anywhere near her. I remember reading The Little House to Blythe and highlighting all the sight words to help her learn to...

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new read-a-loud

Posted by on Mar 31, 2012 in books, history & geography, homeschooling | 7 comments

A couple of weeks ago someone on an email list recommended The Wonder Book For Girls and Boys by Nathaniel Hawthorne as a great read-a-loud for a wide range of children and that boys will especially love it. Since I have a wide range of children and a boy I was looking for a new read-a-loud for since his Spies book was putting me to sleep, I thought, hmmm, I will check it out. I quickly found it for free as a Kindle download and sent it my way in seconds. Then I started reading it to Fisher....

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the symphony

Posted by on Feb 19, 2012 in art & music, family, homeschooling | 1 comment

I have several friends in the Symphony and sometimes I am able to get cheap tickets to their performances. On a spur of the moment decision, I decided to get some $5 tickets and plan a triple date with my friends…can’t beat a $10 date, right? One friend decided they couldn’t go, then the other friend’s husband hurt his back and so they couldn’t come, so just few hours before the concert I was stuck with six tickets. I decided to try to sell them on Facebook. That...

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itunes u

Posted by on Feb 16, 2012 in homeschooling | 1 comment

itunes u

I recently discovered iTunes U audio downloads…wowsers! It is simply amazing. We have already downloaded hours of audio books and have been listening to a variety of fairy tales, Beatrix Potter, What Is Seen and What Is Not Seen by Bastiat, The Adventure’s of Huckleberry Finn, Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland, C.S. Lewis’ Theology, and an Oxford University class on Tolkien. There are thousands of books, lectures, and classes available for free! Our favorite place for...

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fiar: hot air

Posted by on Feb 14, 2012 in FIAR, history & geography, homeschooling, language & literature | 2 comments

fiar: hot air

This week we are reading Hot Air by Marjorie Priceman. It tells the mostly true story of the first hot air balloon ride in Versailles, France in 1783. A chicken, sheep, and duck were sent up in the air and stayed up for eight minutes traveling about two miles. This particular book gives the background events and then makes up what could have happened to the three animals as they flew across the city. Fisher thinks it is hilarious and we think you will as...

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there was an old lady who swallowed a fly…

Posted by on Feb 8, 2012 in homeschooling, language & literature | Comments Off

there was an old lady who swallowed a fly…

When Annesley was two to three years old, this was her favorite song. She sang it over and over and over. She loved singing it for strangers at the grocery store, for grandparents, for the dogs, for everyone. She loved it so much that one year for her birthday her Grandma Dorothy gave her an old woman with a ginormous mouth complete with all the animals she swallows and that doll has been played with like no other. We like to sing it all crazy and dramatic like…probably because we are...

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fiar: the red hen

Posted by on Feb 7, 2012 in FIAR, homeschooling, language & literature | 5 comments

fiar: the red hen

I love, love, LOVE the books that are recommended in the Five In A Row guidebook. We have thoroughly enjoyed all of them that we have done. However, I am not a rule follower of any type, so I like to pick other books for our FIAR books as well. This week, I selected The Red Hen by Rebecca Emberley (yes, of the Emberley family fame – she is the daughter of Ed and sister of Michael and has a whole host of other artists and musicians in the family). Of course, Fisher already knows this...

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potw: habits of the hippopotamus

Posted by on Feb 6, 2012 in language & literature, poem of the week | Comments Off

potw: habits of the hippopotamus

We started this poem last week, but only worked on it for one day and only for a few minutes. The play and a houseful of people were too much for me to keep up our regular schedule…so we are doing it again this week. Habits of the Hippopotamus by Arthur Guiterman The hippopotamus is strong And huge of head and broad of bustle; The limbs on which he rolls along Are big with hippopotomuscle. He does not greatly care for sweets Like ice cream, apple pie, or custard, But takes to flavor what...

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potw: how to talk to your snowman

Posted by on Jan 24, 2012 in homeschooling, language & literature, poem of the week | Comments Off

I was too gnome-ridden to do our Poem of the Week yesterday, so we started it today. It is so silly and Annesley and Fisher have already got it about half-way memorized. Yesterday they made a little of family of snow people and they are giggling thinking of talking to them with these words. How To Talk To Your Snowman by Beverly McLoughland Use words that are pleasing, Like: freezing And snow, Iceberg and igloo And blizzard and blow Try: Arctic, Antarctic, Say: shiver and shake, But whatever...

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Yippee-Skippee!

Posted by on Jan 19, 2012 in homeschooling, language & literature | 17 comments

Zing! was SO stinkin’ fun yesterday. The hour before my class found me jumping up and down with excitement. Yes, literally jumping up and down. I couldn’t wait to get in there and share this passion of mine with children I love. My students adore me (and many of them told me so!), which always does wonders for my motivation to produce fabulous lessons for them. Who wouldn’t want to teach a class full of eager learners who think you are the coolest thing since sliced bread? I...

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