A Government Lesson using French Fries

Head on over to Smockity Frocks to read about a lesson in Taxation without Representation and Redistribution.

24 times 15 equals...

A LOT OF CRAYONS!

Like most homeschooling moms, I am starting to stock up for the year on school supplies. I purchased 15 boxes of crayons with the intention of bringing out a new box or two or three every month (because my girls are avid color-ers...I never needed to do this with my boys!).

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I put them up in a room not being used right now. Or so I thought!

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My husband asked me why I already dumped out all the crayons and wondered why I hadn't thrown away the boxes. Uh...I didn't!

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The good news is, "A3" dumped all 15 boxes of crayons into a bigger box in the room. The bigger box had nothing else in it. She didn't color on any of the walls (at that moment!) or the hard wood floor. She didn't lose any!

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"A1" and "A2" had fun helping Mommy and Daddy sort out the crayons. If you have ever seen a school supply catalog and the pictures of the bulk amount of crayons for sale, that is what our floor looked like! "A2" had fun differentiating the greens and "A1" was excited to start to fill the boxes. "E" and "I" happened upon all this towards the end, but since they can read, they were able to help sort out the oranges and reds.

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This brought back memories of me sorting out my 128 count crayon box to make it look pretty! The feeling wasn't cozy enough that I want to do this again!

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The crayons are put up again...HIGHER!

Music to My Ears!

"A1" just started taking piano lessons with Miss Pam last week. She has been begging to learn to play just like her brothers "E" and "I", and now she can!

With our old piano teacher, the boys were using "The Mayron Cole Piano Method" and with Miss Pam, they are using "Bastien Piano".

I will try and post pictures of the children during their piano lessons next week.

Entomology!

I am so excited!

We joined 4-H a few months ago, but have only been able to go to 2 meetings. Most of the kids in our group show Goats and that is about it. We thought about it, but the way this pregnancy has been going, I am not up to taking care of more kids! So, I thought we might just lay low the rest of this year and see what happens with our life and start fresh next year. Then, the newsletter came! It had a few entomology classes and field trips. That is right up our block and now "E", "I" and "A1" are all very excited about catching and displaying insects! I can even use this for science for school!

Playing with Real Money!

Heather over at Blog, She Wrote found a great way to help teach change values.

This website has the cutest cards to print off, cut out and laminate. You can choose from Candy, McDonald's, Christmas, Eye Glasses and Pet Shop. There are circles where your child puts the change and they can self check by the size of the circle. The Pet Shop cards are my favorite. I will also be printing off a set of the Candy Store Cards for my two little Shop Keepers that are constantly raiding the cabinet to set up a store. Speaking of which, one day I overheard my 3 year old say to my 5 year old daughter, "Sissy, you need to pretend that your husband likes yummy things and buy the Oreos!".

Six Springs Academy 2008/2009

Around this time of year, I always get antsy about preparing for next year. So far, this is what we plan to use. Next year, we will have a 3rd grader, 2nd grader, 1st grader, 2 preschoolers and an infant! S will also be a sophomore next year...that seems hard to believe.

• Math: Horizons 1, 2 and 3
• Bible: We will pick 4-5 books of the Bible to read through together and use an Explorer's Bible Study orally
• Handwriting: A Reason for Handwriting A, B and C
• Explode the Code: 2, 3 & 4 (1st grade), 6, 7 & 8 (2nd grade), 7 & 8 (3rd grade)
• Science: Considering God's Creation (we were going to do it this year, but decided to wait until next year when A1 can join us)
• History: Sonlight 2's History readings
• Language: Either Primary Language Lessons or Queen Language Lessons for Elementary. For 1st grade, we will use First Language Lessons
• Other: Five in a Row books....we love these books!
• Piano: Bastian Piano Books (we were using the Mayron Cole Method, but recently switched teachers)
• Election Year: We will follow the election using HS for G.O.P. and Amanda Bennet's Election Unit Study. We might also use Election 2008 Fold N Learn from Five in a Row.

For preschool, the girls will just tag along in whatever we are doing. We have lots of fun educational toys for them to play with during school time. We will read, read and read. A2, who will turn 4 during the summer has expressed interest in learning to read, so we may try to start Reading Made Easy with her.

Looking ahead at the big picture, we will probably start using Teaching Textbooks in 6th or 7th grade. We will probably do Winston Grammar in 2 or 3 years to learn all those diagramming things that I never did! In the next few years, I would also like to use Apologia for science with the children.

Weather Poems

While learning about the weather, I had the boys each write a poem.

Cold and Rainy

Always windy
Nothing seems good
One day it rains
When will summer be
Nothing seems fun
I need some sun to be good.
by E. age 8

Hot and Sticky

Warm all the time
When will there be rain again
Summer seems to never end
When will fall and winter begin?
by I. age 7

Easter Book and Movie List

Warning: These are not in any kind of order.

Books

*The Very First Easter

*The Legend of the Easter Egg

*Benjamin's Box (Use with Resurrection Eggs)

*My Happy Easter Book

*The Legend of the Trees

*The Parable of the Lily

*He is Alive! by Helen Haidle

*Love One Another: The Last Days of Jesus retold by Lauren Thompson

*An Easter Carol by Cindy Kenney (Veggie Tales)

*The Easter Story Peek-a-Bible™ by Tracy Harrast

*The Legend of the Sand Dollar by Chris Auer

*Easter by Tracy Harrast

*Molly & the Good Shepherd by Chris Auer

*Mary and the Empty Tomb by Alice Joyce Davidson (board book)

*The Beginner's Bible® - Jesus Is Risen! (board book)

*Hosanna! by Miller Deboer (board book)

*Easter, Easter Almost Here! by Kathleen Long Bostrom (board book)

*My Day with Jesus by Alice Joyce Davidson (board book)

*My Good Shepherd by Alice Joyce Davidson (board book)

*Jesus Is Coming! by Jesslyn DeBoer (board book)

*Happy Easter! by Miller Deboer (board book)

*My Happy Easter Morning by Dandi Daley Mackall (board book)

*The First Easter by Jesslyn DeBoer (board book)

*Journey, Easter Journey w/ CD byDandi Daley Mackall, Gene Barretta

*Happy Day Books, Holiday: Let's Celebrate Jesus on Easter

*The Sparrow's Easter Song by Michelle Medlock Adams

*Journey to the Cross: The Complete Easter Story for Young Readers by Helen Haidle

*The Easterville Miracle by Melody Carlson

*That's Not All I Found in the City: An Easter Story for All Seasons by Sue Buchanan,

*Follow Me: Peter Lays Down His Net An Easter Story by Erik Rottmann

*The Resurrection Eggs: Miss Pattycake Opens Up the Wonder of the Easter Story by Jean Thomason, Nancy Gordon

*Little Colt's Palm Sunday by Michelle Medlock Adams

*Sunrise Hill An Easter Story of Faith, Inspiration, and Courage by Kathleen Long Bostrom

*Celebrate Jesus! At Easter by Kimberly Ingalls Reese

*Peter's First Easter by Walter Wangerin Jr.

*Easter Story by Brian Wildsmith

*The Thornbush by Michael Laughlin

*Bright Easter Day by Julie Stiegemeyer

*Happy Easter, God by Elspeth Campbell Murphy

*The Angels by Bob Hartman

*EasterJeremy: The Tale of an Honest Bunny by Jan Karon

*The Easter Cave by Carol Wedeven

*Why on This Night? A Passover Haggadah for Family Celebration by Rahel Musleah

*Mommy, Why Do We Have Easter? by Lou Yohe

*My First Story of Easter by Tim Dowley, Roger Langton

*Something Wonderful: The Easter Story by Carolyn Bergt

*Usborne Bible Stories: The Easter Story by Heather Amery

*Miracle in the Morning by Mary E. Erickson

*Jesus Lives! by Ronald Klug, Lyn Klug

*God's Love at Easter, Picture Book byJoy Morgan Davis

*Where Is Jesus?: Easter by Mary Manz Simon

*The First Easter Bunny by Frrich Lewandowski

*Rise and Shine: The Story of Easter, Phonetic Bible Stories by Claudia Courtney

*Jesus is Risen by Rolf Krenzer

*Early Easter Morning by Marti Beuschlein

*Easter ABCs by Isabel Anders

*Sing Alleluia!: An Easter Story for Children By: Daphna Flegal

*Mary Magdalene's Easter Story Easter Arch Books

*One Morning In Josephs Garden by Barbara Younger

*J is for Jesus: An Easter Alphabet and Activity Book by Debbie Trafton O'Neal

*He is Risen: The Easter Story Adapted from the New Testament by Elizabeth Winthrop

*The Family Easter Book by Alan MacDonald

*Vinegar Boy by Alberta Hawse

*Titus: A Comrade of the Cross published by Lamplighter

MOVIES

*The Miracle Maker: The Story of Jesus

*The Jesus Movie: dvd has The Jesus Movie for children (Very Good...my children watched it over and over again)

*Miss Patty Cake's Egg-Strava-Ganza (preschool)

*The Easter Story Keepers

*The Proud Tree based on the book by Luane Roche

*He is Risen by Family Entertainment

Extra Life Pacs Curriculum Left?

Do you have any of Alpha Omega's Life Pacs or teacher guides left over from homeschooling that you can't sell? Donate them! Lives Under Construction Boys Ranch in Lampe, MO uses these to teach the middle school and high school boys that aren't ready for public school. You can find their more information about LUC at LUC. If you look closely at the group picture on the front page, you can see our son sitting on top, second from the left. He has been home for about 9 months now.