It’s that time of year again for us… time to get the next school year planned out. We finished up our 2023-2024 school year before Easter and I’ve been busy gathering supplies and making schedules as I coordinate with everyone for vacations, holidays, and special trips that we have planned.
It is always SO TEMPTING to take a few months off to just focus on this house but I know from past experience that this doesn’t go well and that it takes FOREVER to get a couple of the kids back into the school routine. You can read more about last year’s curriculum and routines HERE.
We switched to more of a Charlotte Mason-style approach and it was GREAT for the most part. We still have a couple of kids who just hate anything to do with math so that’s been a little challenging but we’re making progress. We’ve also really enjoyed using some of the FREE courses with Under the Home Homeschool.
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 HEREand 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:
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.
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.
On weeks where there are several activities listed just choose a couple that interest you the most to work on.
Look at a sample of pond water under a microscope and compare it to a sample of tap water. Watch this video if you don’t have access to pond water or a microscope.
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.
1. Memory Verse
We will be memorizing Psalm 51 during this unit study. Print it HERE.
Work on memorizing two verses during the week for a special prize.
Verse 1: Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Verse 2: Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
Older kids can copy the memory verse down in their notebook.
2. Character
Complaining:
Do all things without murmurings and disputings:That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world. – Philippians 2:14-15
**BE SURE TO SAVE A FEW SAMPLES OF YOUR WORK FOR YOUR PORTFOLIO! TAKE PICTURES OF BIG PROJECTS!
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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 HEREand 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.
We also like to use this song during our ‘Morning Time’ to help the kids learn the 50 States.
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.
Week 1: Chapters 1, 2 & 3 (Going West, Crossing the Creek and Camp on the High Prairie
Talk about the importance of routines. We will be talking a lot about routines during this unit. Routines are simply a tool that help us to be more successful in our everyday lives. They are a set of steps that we follow on a regular basis to achieve our goals. Routines help everyone to know what is expected of them and when. This can help wi th frustrations that we face in our daily lives.
Ma kept to her routines even though things were very different. One big difference was the way she had to cook meals. This is a good skill to learn whether you like to camp or in the event of an emergency. Answer the questions below:
What things mentioned were part of their normal routine?
Why do you think Ma kept to these routines?
Watch this video on why routines are so important to kids:
Discuss what you have learned.
What routines help you the most?
What areas do you think you need better routines for?
We like to use the FlyLady app on our phone to keep track of our routines.
2. Ways to help around the house like Laura
We are going to talk about straightening up around the house.
These basic steps can be used in any room of the house.
How to straighten up a room:
First we need to pickup the items that don’t belong in the area/room. ex: Shoes, clothes, toys, etc.
You can use a laundry basket to pick up stray items and to carry them to where they belong.
Pick up all the trash in the area.
Put the trash where it belongs.
Check for spills and other messes.
Clean up messes as you find them.
Pick up piles and stacks of papers or books.
Put everything where it belongs.
Carry dirty dishes to the kitchen
Put them in the sink or other designated place.
Straighten DVDs and bookshelves.
Everything should be facing out so it can be read easily.
Fold blankets and put them where they belong.
Straighten and fluff pillows.
Straighten anything else that is out of place.
Wipe down anything that needs cleaned.
Ask what cleaner should be used.
Sweep or vacuum the floor.
Check the room over before leaving.
Do you know where everything goes? If not, be sure to ask a parent or older sibling to show you where to put everyting.
Watch this quick video and discuss what you learned:
3. Character
We will be focusing on OBEDIENCE this unit. If you don’t have the book we used you can go HERE and download a lesson plan guide to use in your home.
Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. – Colossians 3:20
We will be studying obedience during this unit. What is obedience?
Obedience means to willfully, promptly, and cheerfully do whatever a person of authority (ex: parents, teachers, or God) asks you to do.
Being obedient. This may not seem like a big deal but there could have been some serious consequences had Laura and Mary not obeyed Ma when crossing the river.
Why do you think it was so important for Laura and Mary to be obedient?
And Jacob… lighted upon a certain place, … and he took the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. – Genesis 28:10-11
Read a book about camping. Record the Title and Author on your Reading Log.
You may also want to get a notebook to keep track of all the interesting things you will be learning.
Camping can be a very fun experience, if you are prepared.
Learn about Herbs.
And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. – Genesis 1:29
You will need a good book about herbs. Record the Title and Author on your Reading Log.
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