These weekly lessons were made to go along with ‘By the Shores of Silver Lake‘ written by Laura Ingalls Wilder. We are planning to go through the whole series and I am keeping track of the different topics we are learning about here on my blog. We hope you enjoy these as much as we have!

Mornings:

We start every morning off with our prayers and the Pledge of Allegiance. Below is a picture of the prayers that we say and a video of the Pledge of Allegiance.

Not the prettiest example but that’s what we’ve been using for the past few years.

Don’t have a flag? Grab one HERE and print it out to put up somewhere… you could even let the kids make a flag to proudly display. Amazon also has some little ones like this one HERE and HERE.

After this, we have our calendar time also where we go over such things as the Days of the Week, the months, and some basic math.

This one came from Lakeshore Learning.

The younger kids will also be watching some of these videos while I work with the older ones:

We may also use some of the songs found HERE.

And we will be trying out some relaxing background music with Google.

We also like to use this song during our ‘Morning Time’ to help the kids learn the 50 States. 

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Tip: If you want to go to a certain week/chapter or topic simply push the ‘ctrl’ and the ‘F’ button down together and a small bar will pop up. Type in the week number or chapter number you want and it will take you to it.

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We will be discussing some of the character qualities that are displayed in the book but if you would like to do a separate character study lesson you can download one HERE.

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Answers can be found HERE.

Answer Key Password: momsrock

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Here are our lesson plans for the week:

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Language Arts

Week 5: Chapters  17, 18, 19 & 20

(Wolves on Silver Lake, Pa Finds The Homestead, Christmas Eve, The Night Before Christmas)

Reading:

Read Chapters 17, 18, 19 & 20

• You can read it or let the kids help to read it aloud.
• You can also access an audio version:
  • Chapter 17
  • Chapter 18
  • Chapter 19
  • Chapter 20

Discussion Questions:

Chapter Seventeen (Wolves on Silver Lake):

• Where did the girls go? What did they do?
• How did the girls dress?
• Where did Laura say they must not go?
• What did the girls see? How did they react?
• What did Pa say he was going to do? When?

Chapter Eighteen (Pa Finds The Homestead):

• What did Pa do when he came home?
• How far did Pa go when he tracked the wolves?
• What did he find on the high bank?
• Why did Pa think the wolves had returned?
• What else did Pa find?

Chapter Nineteen (Christmas Eve):

• Why did Pa say it was a white Christmas?
• What did they have for Pa? Who made it?
• What did the girls make for Ma? And for Carrie?
• What did Ma make for Grace? Describe it.
• Why did Ma cry? What were some things that they were thankful for?

Chapter Twenty (The Night Before Christmas):

• Who came to visit?
• How far did they come on horseback? Why?
• What did Mrs. Boast say was contagious?
• What did they have for dinner?
• Where did everyone sleep?

Additional Reading:

OLDER CHILDREN:

Each child will complete a reading lesson from our McGuffey Primer Books or other reading materials that we chose for the day.

YOUNGER CHILDREN:

Younger kids will also be doing one lesson a day from Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons.

We are also working through All About Reading Level Pre-reading with William as he needed something a little different from what we had been doing.

Vocabulary/Spelling:**

Print: By the Shores of Silver Lake Vocabulary Word List Week 5

OLDER KIDS:

• Day One: Write your words three times each.
• Day Two: Write your words in ABC order.
• Day Three: Look up definitions and use five of your words in a sentence.
• Day Four: Test (optional) or Worksheet:
  • By the Shores of Silver Lake Vocabulary Worksheet Week 5

Parents click HERE for the answer key.**see instructions at the top of the page.

YOUNGER KIDS:

• Spelling You See Level A

Handwriting:

OLDER KIDS:

• Spencerian Penmanship

-or-

• A Reason for Handwriting, Transition to Cursive, Book T, Based on Scripture Verses

YOUNGER KIDS:

• A Reason for Handwriting: Level A: Manuscript Student Workbook

Writing:

Play this writing game HERE.

CHOOSE ONE PROMPT BELOW:

• Write a descriptive paragraph about 4 or 5 things that you are thankful for.
• Write a descriptive paragraph about your favorite Christmas morning.

**Remember to use the thesaurus to come up with different words.

WATCH THIS VIDEO ABOUT IDIOMS:

• Which of these have you heard before?
• Tell someone about three of these and what they mean.

Other Activities:

GROUP:

• Work on your lapbook.
• Play Hold The Phone – Idiom Game
• Finish reading: Gutsy Girls: Strong Christian Women Who Impacted the World: Book Three: Fanny Crosby (Volume 3)
• Continue reading through In a Pickle: And Other Funny Idioms or get a copy of Scholastic Dictionary of Idioms to help with some of the lessons.
• Watch Signing Times: My Favorite Things
• Work on your Moby Max account

OLDER KIDS:

• Reading: Free Choice from Kirby’s Kids Grade by Grade Homeschool Reading List.
• Play Scrabble
• Play this grammar game HERE.
• Bonus Points: Read to a younger sibling

YOUNGER KIDS:

• Reading: Moonlight Animals
• Tell someone about the book. (Oral Book Report)
• Do this jigsaw puzzle HERE.
• ABC Mouse
• Listening Center (Choose one book to read/listen to together)

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Math

** For fun you may try ‘ciphering’ on a slate with a slate pencil.

Group:

• Do an activity from Building Thinking Skills® Level 1.
• Do an activity from Math Games.
• When you are finished with your math work you can play an Educational Game.

ROTATE THROUGH THESE ACTIVITIES:

• Spielgaben
• Critical Thinking Activity
• Play Tenzi
• MÖBI Kids
• Play ColorKu

Older Kids:

• One thing Pa didn’t need to deduct from the men’s pay was taxes. Today we have income taxes that are deducted from our weekly paychecks. Many companies also don’t pay cash but use checks or direct deposit now.
  • Read through and complete pages 30-36 of this pdf workbook
• Work on a lesson in your Ray’s Arithmetic Books or other math workbooks.
• Work on Khan Academy

Younger Kids:

• Work on your Math-U-See Primer or another workbook.
• Practice with Numbers & Counting Theme Box
• Work on Khan Academy or ABCmouse.com

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Geography and History

State Study

• This week we will study Oklahoma.

• Complete your notebooking pages.
• Older kids can write a report about the state.
• Play US States Hangman

Railroad History:

• Discuss what you have learned.
• What was the most interesting thing you learned? Why?
• Continue learning about the railroad:
  • DK Eyewitness Books: Train: Discover the Story of Railroads from the Age of Steam to the High-Speed Trains o from the Age of Steam to the High-Speed Trains of Today
  • Famous Trains (Dover History Coloring Book)

Famous People:

• Report Due: Fanny Crosby!

Bonus

• Discuss what you have learned.
• What was the most interesting thing you learned? Why?

EXTRA:

• Play Oregon Trail Game 
• Social Studies Quiz Game Show
• Play US Landmarks Game

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Science

Pick one or two topics to learn about:

WHAT IS FROST?

• Discuss what you learned.

HOW DOES SOURDOUGH WORK?

• Discuss what you learned.
• Have you ever tried sourdough? If not, you can start your own with this San Francisco Sourdough Starter.

Temperature

Let’s learn about converting temperature:

• Discuss what you learned.
• Print and complete pages 28- 32 of this PDF workbook.
• Temperature Map – Online Game

Extra Activities:

WHAT IS THE SCIENCE BEHIND BAKING?

• Discuss what you learned.

Other:

• Animal Bingo
• Mr. Nussbaum Science Games
• Mystery Science

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Life Skills

Memory Verse:

We will be memorizing Romans 8:31-39 during this unit study. Print it HERE.

• Work on memorizing one verse during the week for a special prize.
  • Verse 35: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
    
    
• Older kids can copy the memory verse down in their notebook.

CHARACTER

• How did Ma show love to others?
• Was she a good hostess? Why or why not?
• Work on Let’s cooperate.

Manners

Let’s start reading about hospitality. Choose one of the books below to read from:

• A Life That Says Welcome: Simple Ways to Open Your Heart & Home to Others
• Practicing Hospitality: The Joy of Serving Others

READ:

• A Life That Says Welcome p. 128-152
• Practicing Hospitality p. 131-158

DISCUSSION:

• What are some things you learned?
• What are some areas you need to work on?

TRY ONE OF THESE ACTIVITIES:

• Giving and Receiving Hospitality Games and Activities
• WHAT IS HOSPITALITY?
• HOSPITALITY CHART – TEACHING HOSPITALITY TO KIDS
• 11 Tips for TEACHING CHILDREN HOSPITALITY
• Discovering the Heart of True Hospitality
• Simple Hospitality in Your Home

Fun Activities

OTHER:

• Practice washing up before meals.
• Take a moonlit walk with permission.
• Make a handkerchief from My Little House Sewing Book p. 22
• Make a recipe from The Little House on the Prairie Cookbook.
• Click HERE to learn about fun and unusual holidays.

Bonus Skills — Choose one or two to work on

Practice these until you finish this unit study and then we will move on to new skills.

SUSIE’S CHEM FREE ZONE

Norwex Chemical Crashers Part 1

• Discuss what you learned.
• What are some changes you can help to make in your home?

KIDS COOK REAL FOOD 

• Work on your next lesson.
• Help to prepare a meal using your new skills.
• Last Minute Christmas Gift
• Have a Healthy Christmas Party Without Any Sugar

SKILL TREK

• Work on at least one task a week.
• Practice your new skill this week.

HERB STUDY

• Using one of the following for your study:
  • A Kid’s Herb Book: For Children of All Ages
  • Herb Fairies books: A Magical Tale of Plants & Their Remedies
  • INTRODUCTION TO HERBS FOR KIDS

• Discuss what you learned.
• Be sure to jot down some notes.
• Play Wildcraft! An Herbal Adventure Game, a cooperative board game

TRIM HEALTHY YOU

• Read through your lesson.
• Discuss what you learned.
• Complete any bookwork.
• Try out a recipe using your new information.

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PE, Health & Safety

Health & Safety

WINTER WEATHER SAFETY

FALL PREVENTION

• Discuss what you have learned.
• What was the most interesting thing you learned? Why?
• Go to Kids Health and find a related topic to learn more about. Play a game with permission.
• Do an activity from the Health & Safety Theme Box

Games/Outdoor Play

• Practice your polka dancing.
• Play Freeze Tag p. 155 of The Ultimate Homeschool Physical Education Game Book by Guy Bailey
• Go outside and play for 30 minutes.

Bonus:

Did you know that Square Dancing is a good exercise for helping you to have strong bones?

• Mainstream Lesson 8
• Mainstream Lesson 9

If you haven’t already signed up for classes have your parents check for a local club near you.

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Music, Arts & Crafts

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**BE SURE TO SAVE A FEW SAMPLES OF YOUR WORK FOR YOUR  PORTFOLIO!  TAKE PICTURES OF BIG PROJECTS!

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 –Thank you!