Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Getting Organized for the Upcoming School Year...

My Work Area
(an old folding table, basket, and "tv tray" table that I already owned)
(cardboard magazine file boxes which I purchased from amazon.com)
 
Text/Work Books and related items are kept neatly and readily available by storing them in cardboard magazine file boxes.  Each box represents one subject.  For example: all the items in the red box have to do with Language Arts (Phonics/Letters/Writing) for grade K;  the orange box is for Geography/Social Studies/History) for grade K.  The other boxes have to do with Health/Science, Numbers/Math, Art, and Spanish. 
 
The green basket on the right of my work table is reserved for storing the children's story books that will correlate with our lessons.  As of the time of this writing, I have already planned out the first 5 weeks of our school lessons, and this basket holds the storybooks to be used during that period of time.  

 


I put the story books in a basket to themselves for easy access by my grandchildren, so they can look at them during their free time.  This encourages recall of their lessons and reinforces what has been taught. 

Friday, July 5, 2013

"F" is for Firefly (or "L" is for Lightning Bug): Up Close and Personal...





 
School will not be officially starting this year until the first Tues. of Sept., but after finding this live firefly lying upside down on our classroom floor, we just could not resist a closer look! 


Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Old Testament "Moses" Craft Projects...

Baby Moses in a Basket  Hidden in the Reeds on the Nile River
(with the reminder that in God's hands there is safety)
 
Fold in half a half sheet of green paper and a half sheet of blue paper.  Place child's hand on each folded sheet, with the side of the pinky finger lying along the fold.  Trace around child's hand.  Cut out, leaving the folded edges intact.  Open the folds.  Fold under the bottom edge of the green hands making a "tab", and place the bottom edge of the blue hands on top of the tab and glue or tape in place.   This enables the green "reeds" to stand erect.  Cut a black or brown strip of paper 1 and half inches or so wide, and 8 and half inches or so long.  Tape the ends together, forming a ring.  Tape to the water and reeds.  This is the "basket".  Stuff the ring with cotton balls.  Glue a square of fabric over it to make the "blanket".  Cut out a quarter (coin) sized paper circle and draw a face on it.  Glue to the top of the basket where the basket meets the reeds.  Add extra strips of green grass/reeds to the back of the green reed/hands if you want.  Add the caption "In God's Hands" to the blue water/hands, if you want.

 
 
 
Below:
"Burning Bush" Handprint Art Project


Paint palm and underside of fingers, using craft paint.  Press palm on a foam craft sheet.  Allow to dry.  Next, use a round  or half inch wide craft brush to dab on green paint for the leaves.  Then, using a fine point brush, add red and yellow streaks for fire.

These ideas are from  Craft Book "The Mighty God" written by: Angela Crymes for VBS 2013. Published by Bogard Press. www.vbs.bogardpress.org

This company uses the KJV Bible verses in their products.

Listen to your children...


Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Plastic Crate Filing Boxes keep your curriculum and craft ideas and personal student files neat, orderly, and at your fingertips...

I am using hanging files in this one:
 


 
 
In this file box,  I put my educational visuals, flannel board figures, etc. in large envelopes for easy access.

 
 
In the two pictures below you can see where I had placed my plastic crate file boxes:
 
 

 
 

 

Saturday, June 8, 2013

If at first you don't succeed...

 
I saw this on Facebook and agreed whole-heartedly!  This advice can apply to children of all ages, including "know-it-all" teenagers and young adult children.  lol!

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Ocean Life 3D Art Project

 
 
Items Needed:  Shoebox or small Packing Box
                         Blue Construction Paper (for background ocean wave scene)
                         Brown Paper Bag (tear into pieces and wad/scrunch up to form rocks in the ocean)
                         Images of Ocean Life / Sea Animals copied from the internet and cut out
                         White "school" glue such as Elmer's
                         Clear Blue Cellophane (optional) to attach to front of box - which I obviously did not
                          use for this craft, as I did not have any on hand.
 
 
If you prefer, you may cover the outside of the box with the blue construction paper and draw ocean waves on it.  More sea animals could be added to that as well.
                                                                   

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

"Socialization" in the Public Schools - What is actually learned...

I read a statement written by a fellow homeschooling mom which she had recently posted on her blog.  I think it sums up the type of "socialization" that actually takes place in the public schools.  I hope she doesn't mind that I quote her here on my own blog.  Check out her blog for more enlightening tidbits.

"In public school I learned that being yourself could possibly be detrimental to your popularity.  I  learned that you had to be like everyone else in order to be liked by everyone else.  I learned how to be fake.  Why would I want my kids to learn that?"  - Jessica http://moldingmindshomeschool.blogspot.com