homeschooling | Uncategorized

Elementary Round Up

It is hard to know even where to begin. I stopped doing the Elementary Round Up Link-Ups because I took the lack of entries too personally. (Which was vain.) I was posting a link regularly but seeing a diminishing response.

Quite frankly, I lack the fortitude to carry the thing through. I resist deadlines. They taunt me. Suck the joy from me.

So, I decided to enjoy my kids with my own eyes instead of behind a camera. Which is how it should be.

But I lack some great pictures now . . . and am missing some blog pages documenting our learning. Therefore, I am back at it.

Due to some crazy sickness . . . Baby Jesus didn’t get born during our study of the Birth of Jesus with Grapevine Studies . . . so we started where we left off back at the beginning of December.

After all, it’s good to learn about Jesus anytime. Right?

The Story is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

The Engineer and I have yet to decide on our new Math Curriculum. So we kind of left math behind.

Instead, all three boys jumped into Marie Rippel’s All about Spelling and All About Reading.

Let me just say . . . I love this curriculum. Forget Saxon. We aren’t even going to finish what Asher and Ezra have left. In just a few lessons, the boys have already picked up knowledge that they should have already learned.

I often want to do our AAR and AAS first. Shhh don’t tell!

But they also like it too.

Even Naomi.

From All About Reading Level Pre-1 . . .

From All About Reading Level 1 . . . .

From All About Spelling . . .

We added Wordly Wise to the line up . . which we are all enjoying!

Handwriting . . . Cursive A Reason for Writing . . .

Handwriting Without Tears . . .

And the Story of the World . . .

To see how to put together your All About Reading packet, visit my tutorial!

homeschooling | Uncategorized

Elementary Round Up

Granola Mom 4 God

Operation Clean Up the Basement is in effect right now . . . the Engineer is off to rent an excavator and I am preparing for his birthday! I hope to share with you later this afternoon about our school week!

I’m back. Phew! What a week we have had!

If you read my tweets then you know that we had some water damage in our basement and soon after our basement drain decided to barf poop. After much counsel and calculations . . . we have devised a plan.

This provided an excellent opportunity for the boys to see math used in a practical way. The Engineer was calculating how much dirt we need to purchase to shore up the foundation of our house, and explaining this to the boys. Read the Life of Fred: Apples, if you want a textbook that makes math applicable to everyday life.

Nana worked with the boys devising stories about our Flat Travelers.

Anybody interested? Check out this link and then let me know if you would like to swap with my sister and I . . . and others!

(We would arrange it through this blog – not on the Flat Stanley forum.)

The boys worked hard on memorizing the books of the Bible using various You Tube videos . . . some more annoying than others.

Science: Apologia Zoology 1, Flying Animals

We worked hard at drowning bugs and then bringing them back to life with salt.

Insects are quite amazing. Due to their inefficient breathing (passive breathing) they can live long amounts of time, even when surrounded by water. They have an abdomen like a sponge that normally allows air in through tubes called spiracles which lead to a trachea. When insects come in contact with water, they close their spiracles.

If you want to bring your insect back to life, thr
ow some salt on them.

Other readings . . . The Story of the World, First Language Lessons for the Well Trained Mind, and Stick Figure Bible.

Kindergarten: Ezra

All About Reading: Letter B Upper Case, Lower Case, Cut-n-Paste

Additionally, Ezra worked on Singapore Math and Saxon Phonics K.

First/Second Grade: Asher

Saxon Math 1

Apologia Who Is God? (co-op)

Saxon Phonics 1

Critical Thinking: (co-op)

For Fun

Jumping on bean bags . . .

What did you do? Or What did you learn? To see the original Elementary Round Up post,click here. To view a recent discussion regarding options for this post, click here.

If you don’t have a blog to link up with . . . leave a comment and tell us what your family did in the Learning Room!

Guidelines:

Write a blog post about your elementary aged child(ren), first through sixth grade,comprising the activities you did the prior two weeks. You can include pictures, bullet points, tools used, learning gained, God moments, etc. Or it can simply be a new thing Mom learned.
Be sure to include a link back to my blog. By doing so, other like-minded readers can hang out in a central location if they are looking for Elementary School ideas. Publish your post and then head back to my site.
Provide the exact link (URL) of the Elementary Round-UP blog post you wrote, not your blog’s home address, through the provided Linky.
Optional: I would love it if you grabbed my blog button over on the side.
You can combine this with other meme’s if that helps you to save time (as long as it is OK with the other blog owner).

BIG IMPORTANT HEART MOMENT: This isn’t a blog post to WOW other moms . . . the point of this is to help YOU document on YOUR blog what you and your child(ren) are
learning. My link-up is only to provide some accountability. I won’t come and leave nasty comments on your blog if you don’t link up.

2 Comments

Lauren says:

Mar 26, 2013 at 12:15 pm

Hi, I understand this post was in 2011, but i`’d love to get your feedback on Saxon and All About Reading. My daughter was in a program that didn’t have a comprehensive reading program, so I think we will work on reading and spelling this summer to try and get her caught up. I like Saxon phonics and All About Reading (AAR), but i can’t decide which to use. I have to be honest, the AAR books/primers seem boring but I haven’t ever gone through it, so you may know better about that..
Why did/do you use both? Why do your older kids use only Saxon Phonics? What would you recommend for a Kindergartner that knows al her letters and can write a little but is struggling with reading (probably cause she needs more practice getting more fluent)?
Thanks!! I love your blog! I just found it today and I can’t wait to look around more!

Blessings to you!
Lauren Pratt
laurbeverly@yahoo.com
931-650-1834
1. Jodi M says:
  
  Mar 28, 2013 at 9:26 am
  
  Lauren — I REALLY like All About Reading and All About Spelling. Both programs (from the same publisher) work really well with my kids. The books — the kids like them. Are they what I would read? No. But my kids think the pictures are silly AND the main point is that they are reading. And successfully at that.
  
  We have completely dropped Saxon Phonics. It initially laid a good foundation — and I have used it as a source because when I was a kindergarten teacher that is what I used. So it is familiar. BUT all three times I have dropped it. Currently Gabe (4) is using Raising Rock Stars — from Carisa http://www.1plus1plus1equals1.net/2011/08/raising-rock-stars-preschool-bundle-is/ (She is a good friend of mine and blogs about using this with her kiddos). After we complete RRSP then Gabe will do the AAR Pre-Level 1. Ezra (6) has done AAR Pre-Level 1, AAR Level 1, and now is doing AAR Level 2. He has a really strong firm foundation and knows his “rules.”
  
  Asher also has a STRONG foundation and knows his phonetic rules and the exceptions– He is on the 3rd level of All About Spelling.
  
  If your daughter knows her sounds — then I would imagine she could start All About Reading Level 1 — but maybe incorporate the puppet with it. http://allaboutlearningpress.net/go.php?id=283&url=294
  
  Let me know what other questions I can answer!!!

Comments are closed.

Uncategorized

Elementary Round Up

Lots of learning life learning. . . but not many books. That sums up our week.

Snuggles . . . and reading.

Active learning.

Ezra helped me find key words in my Kay Arthur study of Colossians.

Serving. Cleaning the house. Feeding sister.

Folding, hanging, sorting clothes. Sweeping floors.

Co-op. Cimabue. I’m so glad I finally figured out what Asher was saying.

Copywork.

Awana.

Awana Sparks Flight Zone

John 3:16

S is for Savior

P is for Power

A is for According to the Scriptures

R is for rose again

K is for Keep

S is for Saved

Sparks Sky Stormer

Deuteronomy 3:18

Genesis to Ecclesiastes

Song of Solomon to Malachi

Matthew to 2 Timothy

Titus to Revelation

Awana Hang Glider

Psalm 147:5

1 Corinthians 15:3

1 Corinthians 15:4

James 2:10

P.S. Jolanthe has a fabulous page filled with Awana printables. She has memory cards that are cute and durable when laminated. I struggled to do our Awana verses each week last year and since switching to Classical Education, using the above Awana copywork pages as school work helps us accomplish our memory verses AND copywork.

Please note, the above Awana copywork is NKJV.

What did you do? To see the original Elementary Round Up post, click here. To view last weeks discussion, click here.

If you don’t have a blog to link up with . . . leave a comment and tell us what your family did in the Learning Room!

Guidelines:

Write a blog post about your elementary aged child(ren), first through sixth grade, comprising the activities you did the prior two weeks. You can include pictures, bullet points, tools used, learning gained, God moments, etc. Or it can simply be a new thing Mom learned.
Be sure to include a link back to my blog. By doing so, other like-minded readers can hang out in a central location if they are looking for Elementary School ideas. Publish your post and then head back to my site.
Provide the exact link (URL) of the Elementary Round-UP blog post you wrote, not your blog’s home address, through the provided Linky.
Optional: I would love it if you grabbed my blog button over on the side.
You can combine this with other meme’s if that helps you to save time (as long as it is OK with the other blog owner).

BIG IMPORTANT HEART MOMENT: This isn’t a blog post to WOW other moms . . . the point of this is to help YOU document on YOUR blog what you and your child(ren) are learning. My link-up is only to provide some accountability. I won’t come and leave nasty comments on your blog if you don’t link up.

Uncategorized

Elementary Round Up

Sigh . . . I had an Elementary Round Up post written.

But Live Writer had other ideas as to what should happen to my post.

Grrr.

And now everyone is awake in my house! So that means that my eyes need to be directed at my children and not an impersonal computer screen . . . the ever-present distraction.

I’ll try and come back and tell you what we did this week. But here is your link!

___________________________

What has been going on in your school room?

If you don’t have a blog to link up with . . . leave a comment and tell us what your family did in the Learning Room!

Guidelines:

Write a blog post about your elementary aged child(ren), first through sixth grade, comprising the activities you did the prior two weeks. You can include pictures, bullet points, tools used, learning gained, God moments, etc.
Be sure to include a link back to my blog. By doing so, other like-minded readers can hang out in a central location if they are looking for Elementary School ideas. Publish your post and then head back to my site.
Provide the exact link (URL) of the Elementary Round-UP blog post you wrote, not your blog’s home address, through the provided MckLinky.
Optional: I would love it if you grabbed my blog button over on the side.
You can combine this with other meme’s if that helps you to save time (as long as it is OK with the other blog owner).

BIG IMPORTANT HEART MOMENT: This isn’t a blog post to WOW other moms . . . the point of this is to help YOU document on YOUR blog what you and your child(ren) are learning. My link-up is only to provide some accountability. I won’t come and leave nasty comments on your blog if you don’t link up.

Uncategorized

Elementary Round Up

I was MIA last week. Sorry. I was at a homeschool conference.

But school must go on . . . and it did . . . just the Engineer did it!

In the schoolroom . . .

A freebie 4-D puzzle thanks to Timberdoodle. Highly recommend this to your arsenal of puzzles if you have a child who gets jazzed for all things jagged.

Lots of phonics and math from Saxon . . .

Science that is a mixture of The Magic School Bus and Answers in Genesis . . . I am excited because we are about to exit space and enter earth!

Still loving our Bible with Stickfigure Bible from Grapevine Studies. (By the way, even if you don’t homeschool, Grapevine is great to just “do” with your children . . . laying a firm foundation based upon JUST the world of God.) We are working through the Old Testament and studying the Resurrection as a family, in addition to reading Amon’s Adventure.

And thanks to Nana, Asher has acquired some great “readers.” It isn’t uncommon to find him nestled into the couch reading his book aloud to anyone and everyone who might listen.

He also discovered that the Engineer has a little game on his Droid titled, “Angry Birds.” Yea . . . even I get addicted to playing said game.

But what have I loved the most recently from this little boy? He is helpful, encouraging, and he brings me flowers!

What has been going on in your school room – and if you don’t have a blog to link up with . . . leave a comment and tell me what your family did in the Learning Room!

Guidelines:

Write a blog post about your elementary aged child(ren), first through sixth grade, comprising the activities you did the prior two weeks. You can include pictures, bullet points, tools used, learning gained, God moments, etc.
Be sure to include a link back to my blog. By doing so, other like-minded readers can hang out in a central location if they are looking for Elementary School ideas. Publish your post and then head back to my site.
Provide the exact link (URL) of the Elementary Round-UP blog post you wrote, not your blog’s home address, through the provided MckLinky.
Optional: I would love it if you grabbed my blog button over on the side.
You can combine this with other meme’s if that helps you to save time (as long as it is OK with the other blog owner).

BIG IMPORTANT HEART MOMENT: This isn’t a blog post to WOW other moms . . . the point of this is to help YOU document on YOUR blog what you and your child(ren) are learning. My link-up is only to provide some accountability. I won’t come and leave nasty comments on your blog if you don’t link up.

Uncategorized

Elementary Round Up

“Mom?”

Yes, buddy.

“Mom, I’m really sad,” (as he tried to slightly hide some tears waiting to spring down his cheeks if my answer proved insufficient.)

Why are you sad?

“I have toys.”

If you are a parent, I’m sure you probably had a similar thought run through your head.

He’s sad about toys? Seriously? Is something wrong? The next thing to come out of his mouth with either be radically silly or deeply profound or not make sense.

And where did this come from?

Here we were sitting at a stoplight on our way back from an insane trip to Lowes for an emergency dehumidifier that would immediately reside in our basement . . . . and some seeds and dirt “accidentally” jumped into our cart.

Not that there was any room.

Lowes

Umm . . . buddy, why do your toys make you sad?

“We are going to throw them away when I get older. I don’t want them to go into the trash after I have loved them.”

Sigh. Toy Story. I am living Toy Story.

Nevertheless, a precious comment.

First grade is consisting of being a helper. A huge help. UGE without the H, that’s how big.

folding laundry
getting diapers
training the dog
setting the table
getting Gabe out of his big boy bed after naps
praying . . . lots of praying for mommy

And when Asher’s not being a helper, he’s being creative. Like building a house in the middle of my garden.

If there is any other time . . . geography in South Korea, Saxon Phonic, Saxon Math, Grapevine Studies, and A Reason For Handwriting. (See my resources here.)

We’ve scaled back big time. We’ve had too. In the past 4 months we’ve acquired a new baby and a new dog!

__________________________

What has been going on in your school room – and if you don’t have a blog to link up with . . . leave a comment and tell me what your family did in the Learning Room!

Guidelines:

Write a blog post about your elementary aged child(ren), first through fifth grade, comprising the activities you did the prior two weeks. You can include pictures, bullet points, tools used, learning gained, God moments, etc.
Be sure to include a link back to my blog. By doing so, other like-minded readers can hang out in a central location if they are looking for Elementary School ideas. Publish your post and then head back to my site.
Provide the exact link (URL) of the Elementary Round-UP blog post you wrote, not your blog’s home address, through the provided MckLinky.
Optional: I would love it if you grabbed my blog button over on the side.
You can combine this with other meme’s if that helps you to save time (as long as it is OK with the other blog owner).

BIG IMPORTANT HEART MOMENT: This isn’t a blog post to WOW other moms . . . the point of this is to help YOU document on YOUR blog what you and your child(ren) are learning. My link-up is only to provide some accountability. I won’t come and leave nasty comments on your blog if you don’t link up.

Uncategorized

Elementary Round Up

Sigh. I’m late. A week late.

But we’ve had sickness. And more sickness. I’m not sure why, or how, or where it came from.

It was surprising. That is for sure.

We’ve done school, but in odd places.

Mostly, we’ve figuratively traveled to China. And had a blast. Complete with a tea party.

I’d love to share more.

However, it is a nice day and my first grader is playing outside. His delightful sounds are beckoning me to join him.

And so I must.

What did you do these past 3 weeks since our last link up?

Well . . . I was going to provide a link for you . . . but Mr. Linky says I didn’t pay for it . . . but I did.

Soooooooooooooo . . . . leave your link in the comments. Thanks!

Uncategorized

Elementary Round Up

For starters . . . I’ve been working on a “meme” Elementary Round Up button. Tell me, which one is your favorite?

Option 1:

Option 2:

Or Option 3:

On with our learning . . .

A parade of pictures is the feature for this Elementary Round Up. Enjoy and feel free to ask any questions about what you see Mr. Smackdown doing . . . . I am finally beginning to respond to comments again!

A Reason for Handwriting

Domino Math

Preserving Lemons from the Nourished Kitchen

snuggling with Naomi

lots of play time . . .

the annual New Year’s Fondue Party

open gym at gymnastics

Other subjects not included in the parade of pictures or activities still living in my camera:

Saxon Phonics
Saxon Math
Answers in Genesis Science
Stick-figuring through the Bible by Grapevine Studies
AWANA memory verses
and enjoying Mr. Smiley’s Tot Trays
basketball

What has been going on in your school room – and if you don’t have a blog to link up with . . . leave a comment and tell me what your family did in the Learning Room!

P.S. Don’t forget to enter to win the Healthy Night Light!

Guidelines:

Write a blog post about your elementary aged child(ren), first through fifth grade, comprising the activities you did the prior two weeks. You can include pictures, bullet points, tools used, learning gained, God moments, etc.
Be sure to include a link back to my blog. By doing so, other like-minded readers can hang out in a central location if they are looking for Elementary School ideas. Publish your post and then head back to my site.
Provide the exact link (URL) of the Elementary Round-UP blog post you wrote, not your blog’s home address, through the provided MckLinky.
Optional: For now, I would love it if you grabbed my blog button over on the side.
You can combine this with other meme’s if that helps you to save time (as long as it is OK with the other blog owner).

BIG IMPORTANT HEART MOMENT: This isn’t a blog post to WOW other moms . . . the point of this is to help YOU document on YOUR blog what you and your child(ren) are learning. My link-up is only to provide some accountability. I won’t come and leave nasty comments on your blog if you don’t link up.

Uncategorized

Elementary Round Up

Time is short today . . . and typing one handed is hard . . . . so our past two weeks will be like watching an old fashioned silent movie . . . without captions. (Leave a comment if you want to know what we are doing in a certain picture or where to get the printable we used.)

Oh, and we also have played in the snow a lot.

xmas sitting 025

What has been going on in your school room – and if you don’t have a blog to link up with . . . leave a comment and tell me what your family did in the Learning Room!

Guidelines:

Write a blog post about your elementary aged child(ren), first through fifth grade, comprising the activities you did the prior two weeks. You can include pictures, bullet points, tools used, learning gained, God moments, etc.
Be sure to include a link back to my blog. By doing so, other like-minded readers can hang out in a central location if they are looking for Elementary School ideas. Publish your post and then head back to my site.
Provide the exact link (URL) of the Elementary Round-UP blog post you wrote, not your blog’s home address, through the provided MckLinky.
Optional: For now, I would love it if you grabbed my blog button over on the side. At some point, I may get creative and create a button specific to this meme . . .
You can combine this with other meme’s if that helps you to save time (as long as it is OK with the other blog owner).

BIG IMPORTANT HEART MOMENT: This isn’t a blog post to WOW other moms . . . the point of this is to help YOU document on YOUR blog what you and your child(ren) are learning. My link-up is only to provide some accountability. I won’t come and leave nasty comments on your blog if you don’t link up.

Meet Sara Beth

There was a time when I was barely scraping by, living paycheck to paycheck, and feeling the weight of financial uncertainty. It was during these challenging times that I stumbled upon a glimmer of opportunity in the digital world. Digital products seemed like a beacon of hope, a way to turn my situation around. With little to lose and everything to gain, I dove headfirst into the world of design and digital marketing. Canva became my canvas, and the digital landscape, my playground.

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