Tag: weekly lesson plans

**Although I try to provide as many FREE resources as possible this post may contain affiliate links alt no extra cost to you. We may earn a small commission, if a purchase is made through these links, which helps to support our blog and our family. Thank you!

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.

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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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Week 1: Chapters 1 & 2 (Little House in the Big Woods &  Winter Days and Winter Nights)

Here is our lesson plan for the week:

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Language Arts

Print out this Lap Book project so that you can start filling in pages as you go!

Reading:

Read Chapters 1 & 2

• You can read it or let the kids help to read it aloud.
• You can also access an audio version:
  • Chapter One
  • Chapter Two

Discussion Questions:

Chapter One:

• How old do you think Laura was during this period? Why do you think this? (I guessed she was 5-7 but we will find out for sure in Chapter 5.)
• Name something that made Laura feel safe? (Page 3)
• Describe three different ways that the family preserved food for the winter. How did each family member help?
• How do you dress for the winter?
• Name two things that the girls enjoyed playing with? What would you like to play with?
• What was Laura’s favorite time of the day and why?

Chapter Two:

• Name two chores that the girls had to do.
• What did they do after the chores were finished?
• Describe the butter making process.

Additional Reading:

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

Vocabulary:

• Little House In The Big Woods Chapter 1 Vocabulary
• Little House In The Big Woods Chapter 2 Vocabulary Crossword

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

Writing:**

We will be making a journal to record some of our pioneer adventures in. The link to the journal will be HERE.

Choose one prompt below:

• Write a make believe newspaper article about Pa’s encounter with the panther.
• Make a new ‘butter making song’ to sing while you work.

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

Other Activities:**

Older kids:

• Discuss the difference between fiction and nonfiction.
  • Here is a sorting worksheet.
  • More worksheets here.

Younger Kids:

• Pat-a-Cake Activity from Mother Goose Phonics.

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Math

You can work on a lesson in your Ray’s Arithmetic Books or other math workbook. (The lessons below reflect what we worked on.)

Group:

Rotate through these activities:

• Spielgaben
• Math Bingo
• Math Games
• Flash Cards

Click HERE to check for updates.

Older Kids:

• Study fractions
• Fractions Visual
• Fractions Worksheets
• Fractions Flip Book (You may need to make a FREE account to print this.)

 

Younger Kids:

• Working on learning numbers 1-10.

 

 

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Geography and History

 

1. State Study

• Print out this map HERE or this one HERE. You can color in the states as you learn them and track Laura’s journeys.
• This week we will study Wisconsin.
• Complete your notebooking pages.
• Older kids can write a report about the state.

2. Research Pioneer Life.

• Read Pioneer Life from A to Z or another book about Pioneer Life.
• Watch these videos:

• Discuss what you learned.
• What would you take with you? (Remember it can only fit in a shoe box!)
• Could you like like a pioneer?
• What would be the hardest thing for you to give up? Why?
• What would be the most fun? Why?

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Science

1. Read about bears or watch a video about bears.

• Older kids can also work on a report about bears. The report needs to include behavior, habitat, and diet.
  • Bears: Polar Bears, Black Bears and Grizzly Bears
  • Time for bed, Little Bear

• Discuss what you learned.
• Bear Coloring Page
• This was also a fun activity for the younger kids: Itsy Bitsy Bear Book

For the Little Ones:

2. Read about panthers or watch a video about panthers.

• Older kids can also work on a report about panthers. The report needs to include behavior, habitat, and diet.
  • Black Panther: A Children Pictures Book About Black Panther With Fun Black Panther Facts and Photos For Kids
  • Florida Animals for Everyday Naturalists

• Discuss what you learned.
• Panther Coloring Page

3. Research Microbes and Bacteria.

• Microbes and Bacteria

• Discuss what you learned.
• How do they affect us?

4. What is Density?

• Complete a Density activity **
  • All About Density Worksheet 
  • 9 Simple Experiments to Learn about Density
  • Summer Density
  • We used Lakeshore STEM Science Station – Sink or Float for an independent learning activity all week. The kids explored it on their own whenever the wanted to.

Bonus Lesson: Why did the fire burn different colors? (Parental supervision needed for some activities!)

• Discuss what you learned.
• Ask your parents if you can have a campfire and use these Cosmic Magical Flame packets to watch the flames change colors.

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Life Skills

1. Research chores for Pioneer Children

• Read Sarah Morton’s Day: A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Girl
• Watch these videos:

Check out the 2nd video for some Pioneer skills you can learn.

• Discuss what you learned.
• How do their chores differ from yours?
• What was Ma’s chore schedule? Do this activity to test your memory:

Ma’s Chore Schedule Activity Week 1

• Little ones can use Ma’s chore schedule to learn the days of the week.

 Pioneer chores vs. Modern chores.

Laura was 4 years old when this book took place. How did her chores/responsibilities compare to yours? What chores can you help with around the house?

• Here is a list of Pioneer chores.
• Here is a slide show of Pioneer Chores.
• Here is a printable Chore Chart by ages.

Watch this video of kids doing farm chores.

2. Ways to help around the house like Laura

Arise, Shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. — Isaiah 60:1

• Making the Bed
  • We should get in the habit of making our beds every day because it helps us get a great start for a productive day!

3. Character/Manners

– Read ‘Six Ways to be Considerate to Adults’ p. 22 in Uncommon Courtesy For Kids: A Training Manual For Everyone

– Read ‘Uncommon Courtesy is considering the needs and feelings of others.’ p. 12 in Uncommon Courtesy For Kids: A Training Manual For Everyone

• Laura interrupted Mary in the story. Was this wrong?
• Discuss how important it is not to interrupt others and how it might make others feel when we interrupt them. (It can make others feel like you don’t think what they have to say is important or that you feel you are better than they are when you interrupt them.)
• Come up with a way for children to let you know that they need to tell you something without interrupting. (They can gently place their hand on your hand or arm and wait until you finish.)

4. Memory Verse

• Work on memorizing a verse during the week for a special prize.
  • He who answers before listening – that is his folly and shame. –– Proverbs 18:13 
• Older kids can check out this Doodle Page via Verse Doodles.

5. Fun Activities

• Plan a meal where you can use cracklings. They can be put into cornbread (or hoe cakes) for flavoring. You could substitute chopped bacon if cracklings are not available.
• Bake bread see Salt-Rising Bread p. 75 in The Little House Cookbook
• Bake cookies
• Make butter. Click HERE for a recipe or watch the video below.

• Write out the steps for making butter.
• How does your butter compare to store bought butter?
• See if you can get or borrow a sewing kit. Start practicing the sewing skills listed on pages 6-11 of My Little House Sewing Book.

6. Bonus Skills — Choose one or two to work on

• Practice these until you finish this unit study and then we will move on to another new skill.
• Memorize the books of the Bible:

• Learn about archery which is a skill that has been around for thousands of years.
  • Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field and take me some venison. — Genesis 27:3
  • You will need a good book or DVD on archery.
  • You will also need a properly sized bow and arrows for practice.
  • Don’t forget a target and a backstop.
  • Learn the parts of the bow and what they do.
  • Learn the parts of an arrow and what they do.
  • Ask an adult to show you how to safely shoot your bow.
• Learn the skill of baking homemade nutritious foods from scratch.
  • …It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone but by every word of God — Luke 4:4
  • You will need a good cook book.
  • Start with simple recipes.
  • Make sure you have all of the ingredients before you start.
  • Read through the entire recipe before you start.
  • Ask an adult to show you how to work the oven safely.
  • Start a recipe collection.

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PE, Health & Safety

1. Stranger Danger

• Practice what to do/say in different scenarios like:
  • Saying ‘Not my Mommy/Not my Daddy‘ if a stranger tries to grab you.
  • Kick, Fight, Bite, Make Noise if a stranger tries to grab you.
  • Have a secret family password for emergencies when you may need a ‘stranger’ to pick up your kids.
• Discuss different ways a stranger may try to trick your child:
  • try to lure you into a vehicle saying that your  parent is sick and they were sent to pick you up
  • they may say they have something to show you and ask you to come with them
  • try to find out if you are home alone
  • may ask to come inside your home to use the phone
  • may ask for help to find a lost pet
• Discuss ways to stay safe:
  • NEVER wander off without telling an adult where you are going
  • NEVER talk to strangers
  • NEVER accept items from a stranger
  • NEVER go with a stranger
  • NEVER tell a stranger you are home alone (or post about it on social media)
  • NEVER open a door to a stranger
  • DO find a safe place and tell someone what is happening
  • DO walk away from a stranger
  • DO call your parents or 911 if you do not feel safe

Be Smart Stay Safe: A Video Teaching Kids to Be Safe DVD Plus 3 Music CDs

2. Games/Outdoor Play

• Play Little Brown Bear p. 144 of The Ultimate Homeschool Physical Education Game Book by Guy Bailey

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Music, Arts & Crafts

Crafts:

• Hog’s Bladder Balloon

Laura and Mary were excited to play with the hog’s bladder balloon. You can play with a balloon or blow up a paper bag and tie it off to represent a hog’s bladder balloon.

• Corn Cob or Corn Husk Dolls
  • Cornhusk Dolls p. 60 of Pioneer Crafts for Kids by Gospel Light
  • Colored Twine for Corn Husk Dolls
  • Corn Husks for Dolls
  • Corn Cob dolls
• Glittery Snowflake Window Clings
• Paper Dolls (Boys and Girls)

Art:**

1. Draw a Brindle Bulldog (make sure to add the Brindle coloring.) Google images of Brindle Bulldogs
2. Draw a picture of Jack Frost by Laura’s description.
3. Pioneer life coloring page or this one
4. Yankee Doodle Coloring Page

Music:

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

**Although I try to provide as many FREE resources as possible this post may contain affiliate links alt no extra cost to you. We may earn a small commission, if a purchase is made through these links, which helps to support our blog and our family. Thank you!

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.

---

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 2: Chapters 3 & 4 (The Long Rifle and Christmas)

Here is our lesson plan for the week:

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Language Arts

• Reading:

  Read Chapters 3 & 4

  • You can read it or let the kids help to read it aloud.
  • You can also access an audio version:
    • Chapter Three, Part 1
    • Chapter Three, Part 2
    • Chapter Four, Part 1
    • Chapter Four, Part 2

  Discussion Questions:

  Chapter Three:

  • What did Pa have to finish before storytelling could begin?
  • What happened if the girls were disobedient?
  • Describe the process of cleaning the gun.
  • Why was it so important for Pa to kill an animal with one shot?

  Chapter Four:

  • Name 5 things that they made for the Christmas feast.
  • How do you think it felt to ride in the wagon during the winter?
  • How did the kids make pictures in the snow? What is this similar to today?
  • What did Aunt Eliza think was wrong with Prince?
  • What was really wrong with Prince?
  • What did Laura get for Christmas?

  Additional Reading:

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

  Vocabulary:

  • Little House In The Big Woods Chapters 3 and 4 Vocabulary Word
  • Put the words from the worksheet in alphabetical order

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

  Writing:

  Choose one prompt below:

  • Write about one of your favorite Christmas gifts.
  • Or write a report on the history of guns.

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

  Other Activities:

  Group:

  • Read The Snowy Day. Have you ever played in the snow?

  

  Older Kids:

  • Context Clues Match-Ups

  Younger Kids:

  • Cackle, Cackle, Mother Goose activity from Mother Goose Phonics.

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Math

You can work on a lesson in your Ray’s Arithmetic Books or other math workbook. (The lessons below reflect what we worked on.)

Group:

Rotate through these activities:

• Spielgaben
• Math Bingo
• Math Games
• Flash Cards

Click HERE to check for updates.

Older Kids:

• Writing fractions
• Check out Fractions on Khan Academy.
• Numerators and Denominators Week 2
• Write Your Fractions Week 2 **Note that problem 1 should read 57/73 not 57/71

• Comparing proper & improper fractions
• Mixed Numbers and Improper Fractions on Khan Academy

Younger Kids:

• Working on learning numbers 1-10.

 

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Geography and History

1. State Study

• This week we will study Arkansas.
• Complete your notebooking pages.
• Older kids can write a report about the state.

2. Research the history of firearms.

• Watch this video:

• And this one:

• Discuss what you learned.
• Write out the steps to cleaning a gun as told in the story. Use this Sequencing Worksheet.

3. Start researching Louis Pasteur for a Speech.

• Louis Pasteur: Founder of Modern Medicine
• Watch this video:

• Take notes about what you learned.

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Science

1. Read about owls or watch a video about owls.

• Older kids can also work on a report about owls. The report needs to include behavior, habitat, and diet.
  • Owls (Kids Can Press Wildlife Series)
  • All About Owls

• Discuss what you learned.
• Owl Coloring Page

2. What is Rust?

• Discuss what you learned.

3. Study the respiratory system. Watch a video and older kids can do some independent research.

• Human Body: A Visual Encyclopedia
• Uncover the Human Body: An Uncover It Book
• Human Body by Rock ‘N Learn

• Discuss what you learned. What illnesses affect the respiratory system?
• Top 10 Fun Breathing Exercises For Kids
• Use a stethoscope to listen to someone’s lungs. What do you hear?
• Complete an activity. **
  • We used the Human Body Activity Tub from Lakeshore Learning for activities and Independent Learning.
  • Breathe In Breathe Out Chest Vest p. 58 Easy Make & Learn Projects: Human Body
  • How do lungs work? Make a model lung

 

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Life Skills

1. Research Pioneer food preservation.

• How do the different food preservation methods keep us from getting sick?
• Watch the video:

• Discuss what you learned.
• Name 3 methods of preserving food that we still use today.

2. Ways to help around the house like Laura

For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine… for the world is mine, and the fullness thereof. — Psalm 50:10

• Taking Care of Your Pets
  • This video is about taking care of a dog but many of the responsibilities will be the same for other pets.

3. Character/Manners

– Read ‘Make Time For Courtesy.’ p. 14 in Uncommon Courtesy For Kids: A Training Manual For Everyone

– Read ‘Four Words to the Wise.’ p. 18 in Uncommon Courtesy For Kids: A Training Manual For Everyone

• Discuss how important it is to use our ‘Please and Thank You’s’.

4. Memory Verse

• Work on memorizing a verse during the week for a special prize.
  • Like a madman shooting firebrands or deadly arrows is a man who deceives his neighbor and says, ‘I was only joking!’ — Proverbs 26: 18-19
  • Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self control. — Proverbs 25:28

5. Fun Activities

• Research how to dry food.

• Discuss what you learned
• Bonus points if you actually try it and write about what method you used and how everything tastes.
• Make a needle book like the one Aunt Eliza gave to Ma using the instructions on pages 12-15 of My Little House Sewing Book.

6. Bonus Skills — Choose one or two to work on

• Practice these until you finish this unit study and then we will move on to another new skill.
• Memorize the books of the Bible:

• Learn about archery

• Learn about baking

We also use these sites for other lessons:

• Kids Cook Real Food 
• Skill Trek

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PE, Health & Safety

• 1. Gun Safety

  • Talking To Your Child About Gun Safety Via NRA Explore
  • A Gun Safety Course For Kids via SaveTheGuns.com
  • Discuss the importance of gun safety.
  • Make a list of gun safety rules.**
  • This would be a good time to have someone you know show your kids how to properly handle a firearm.
  • Discuss what you learned.

  2. What is Rabies?

  • Watch the Old Yeller rabies scene (may not be good for younger kids).
  • Discuss the importance of not playing with wild animals or animals you don’t know.

  Bonus: Watch Old Yeller

  

  Old Yeller 2-Movie Collection Old Yeller/Savage Sam

  3. Whole Foods vs Processed Foods

  • Discuss the differences of whole foods and processed foods.
  • Make a list of whole/processed foods in your kitchen.

  Fun song for younger kids:

  4. How to Read Nutrition Labels

  • Practice reading labels from some foods in your kitchen.
  • Complete this Nutritional Label Worksheet. **

  5. Games/Outdoor Play

  • Play Frisbee Bowling p. 114 of The Ultimate Homeschool Physical Education Game Book by Guy Bailey

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Music, Arts & Crafts

Crafts:**

1. Owl Crafts
2. Snowy Owl Pinecone Craft
3. More Owl Crafts
4. A few more Owl Crafts because they are just so cute!
5. Paper Gun Craft — Ask for permission first!

Art:

Owl Coloring Page

Music:

• Captain Jinks p. 63 Laura Ingalls Wilder Songbook

 

 

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