12
Dec
All About Coal Mining and Cookies
As part of our Five in a Row study, we are going to learn all about coal mining and cookies. How do those even get into the same sentence? ...
Homeschool
21
Nov
Five in a Row: Madeline Part 2
We have gone well beyond the Five in a Row curriculum of 5 days of reading Madeline. Clark and Luci LOVE this book, so we have just taken our own sweet time, and explored the entire series. We went to the library and stocked up on Madeline books and DVDs. Netflix had some Madeline movies, so we watched those, too! We have had a ball incorporating the many different components into our homeschool day! For a portion of our Madeline Study, my parents were here to visit. We had a wonderful time with them and even paused one afternoon for a (questionably French) chocolate fondue. Who...
20
Nov
My Body: The Digestive System
I love, love, love that as a homeschooling Mom, I can teach my children all about their bodies in a fun and natural way. With me, they are able to learn exactly what they need to know in an appropriate and controlled way, leaving their incredibly curious minds completely satisfied. My experience in public school with anything health and body-related was unenlightening, to say the least. Teachers were embarrassed and hesitant to speak frankly. Their awkwardness affected the subject matter and the students, making the entire subject a dreaded one. I remember thinking even back then: “I will NEVER make this very normal...
14
Nov
How to Teach Proper Handwashing
We have been studying the classic children’s book, Madeline, which served as an introduction to a series I wanted to do with the children on Health and Wellness. As a nurse, I am constantly teaching my patients about the importance of handwashing as a first line of defense against disease and dirt. Of course this is also something that I taught my children as they were being potty-trained. They began with perfect form – I was so proud of them! But as the novelty of being allowed to “play” in the water wears off, so did the perfect form. So I decided to...
05
Nov
Five in a Row: Madeline Part 1
“In an old house in Paris that was covered with vinesLived twelve little girls in two straight linesIn two straight lines they broke their breadAnd brushed their teeth and went to bed.They left the house at half past nineIn two straight lines in rain or shine-The smallest one was Madeline.” Our next Five in a Row study is Madeline. I've been looking forward to this for a couple of weeks now because we have some fun activities planned! Book Review This is such a cute book. From the first few lines, the children were captivated with the story. It's the story...
22
Oct
Finding the Secrets in our Photographs
The morning after I officially pulled Luci out of her Mother’s Day Out program, she burst into our bedroom at 6 am, all excited, squealing: “Am I going to school today, Mommy? I need to get ready!” My stomach just lurched and the second-guessing started. All day I questioned my decision. Was this a selfish decision? Is this in Luci’s best interest? I struggled for several days with these thoughts until I took a moment to snatch some pictures of Clark and Luci playing together outside. They were have a great time bouncing on balls, squealing and laughing, falling...