CC Enrichment Weeks 1-6

 

 

 

My approach to education is very much stick in the sand. With my kiddo only being in 1st grade my main focus is on writing, reading and math. But I do believe in the classical method of education and Classical Conversations model of education. I love using CC's memory work as a skeleton for all the other subjects and getting to put the "meat" on the skeleton as I see fit. 

I have been thinking about what I want our enrichment activities to be for the school year. I spent some time tonight writing down some ideas for the first 6 weeks. Mainly beyond review I want to dig into history, science and geography and we will build on art this year. (art will depend on what her tutor does too) BUT I still want to keep things relatively simple!

Week 1

History - Color picture of Charlemagne while reading timeline card

Geography - Sidewalk chalk world, race to the place game

Science - Look at biome map and learn a few facts about each biome

Week 2 

History - Read timeline cards that coorelate

Geography - Trace our Trivium Table 

Science -  Online game, guess which type of consumer I am describing

Week 3 

History - Read timeline card that coorelates 

Geography - make mini flags using tooth picks, stick on Trivium Tables

Science - color food chain sheet, play online game

Week 4 

History - Read timeline card that coorelstes 

Geography - Trace and locate

Science - Water cycle wheel and read about other cycles.

Week 5 

History - Joan of Arc coloring sheet, read timeline card

Geography - Identify on a map & learn famous feature

Science - Read about animal reactions 

Week 6 

History - Read timeline card that coorelates

Geography - identify & locate, look at pictures

Science - 6 form of pollutions actions, mention activity do action

We will also supplement with books from the library when available and other books we have on hand. Overall I feel like this is extremely doable for us and am looking forward to getting started. 

Homeschool Mom's Journal | Weekly Wrap Up

Week of August 26-30

We wrapped up our second week of school and it is going really well. Kyla has done a great job with the increased work load and is getting back in the groove. I see math and reading clicking much more quickly! 

 

In my life this week…

 I witnessed a family officially become official! 

I love adoption!

and we started our first day of Essentials for Classical Conversations. My kiddos are not in the program yet but I am the director. 

My favorite thing from school this week was…

I am really loving our Bible time. We are using A Child's Story Bible and memorizing scripture and a catechism. I have love to see how the truth from the catechism questions keep being used in our discussions about whatever Bible story we are reading. 

Things I’m working on…

I have a couple of sessions to wrap up editing.
Lesson plans to write for the next two weeks. I am slowly finding my groove and getting my forms to work how I want them to.

I am also working on a list of classical music pieces to introduce to my children. Does anyone have a good list to start with. Basically I want them to be able to identify the piece by name, tell me the composer and eventually the style and period. Ideas? 

Things I'm looking forward to...

We start our Foundations program next week with Classical Conversations and piano lessons the week after that! I am looking forward to what those are going to add to our day.

A few pictures from our week...

 

 
If your stopping by from one of the link ups please say hello so I can swing by your blog and check out your week!

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Friday Favorites

Week 1 of school is officially in the books! 

Free lectures from Institute for Excellence in Writing

I enjoyed Nurturing Competent Communicators!

(create an account to get to the free downloads) 

The Sweet Harvest: Mothering in the Gentle Cycle blog post at The Better Mom from the blogger at Little House Joy! AMAZING, CONVICTING, ENCOURAGING!

Memoria Press Art Cards. I have been checking these for a few weeks and the are officially on their way to my house!

Love this 10 things I Would Change Post at Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers.

Our first weeks of Essentials for Classical Conversations is underway!

This week I was able to watch a family officially become whole! This is the second time I have had the honor and privileged of sitting in a court room with a family and through blurry eyes recording memories as they are being made! So very thankful for adoption! 

 

More on that in a future post! :) 

Have a great labor day weekend! 

Life on Purpose

pur·pose

noun

• the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists.
• a person's sense of resolve or determination.
• a particular requirement or consideration, typically one that is temporary or restricted in scope or extent. 

verb

• have as one's intention or objective.

I don't always live on purpose. That may seem like a funny thing to say because I am not trying to die... well except to myself so I can live to Christ. But you get what I am saying. Many days I just roll with it... I have my to do list, our lesson plans, and the mundane chores that have to get done. (For some reason my husband thinks he needs socks.... and they need to be clean!) But I don't live with a purpose in mind. 

 

My husband called me on his way to work this morning and he was sharing something the Lord was teaching him and it really jumped out to me. It was this verse,  

"So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom."

Psalm 90:12 

Why should we number our days? Because they are short!! If our days our short and we are truly only given today, shouldn't we make it count? But how? When I think about God's word I come back to two commands,

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Matthew 22:37-39 

Life on purpose means loving God and loving others. Loving God first, frees me to love others. God is teaching me a lot about abiding in Him and that bearing fruit comes by abiding in Christ. 

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
John 15:5 

Life on purpose for me as a follower of Jesus means I am denying myself and following Him. I am seeking to abide in Christ by learning more about Him through the Word, by hiding Gods word in my heart that I may not sin, and by trusting that He is working for good. On purpose means living by faith.

Life on purpose for me as a wife means I am loving my husband as I love myself. I am seeking to respect him, honor him, encourage him and submit to him. Me, as a wife on purpose means making sure the socks are clean and easily accessible (i.e. not in the bottom of the sock basket or dryer!).   It means finding joy in being his helper in whatever life brings.

Life on purpose for me as a mom means I am loving my kiddos more than myself. It means that I am attentive to their needs, wants and desires. It means slowing down long enough to really look them in the eyes when we are talking. It means I am continually showing them Christ's love by loving them well. Loving well takes time and effort. Life on purpose means I am willing to take the time and effort it takes to love them well.

Purpose doesn't happen by chance, it is not some random act. It is planned and intentional with a goal an objective in mind.

I am resolved to live with purpose, to love God and others!
 
Will you join me?


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The Bride | The Church {Gratituesday}

When I saw the Gratituesday post roll through my blog reader I knew immediately what I was grateful for and what my post would be about.

I am so very thankful for the church, Christs' bride, His redeemed people! I am especially grateful for our gathering of believers.  As I mentioned on my about me page, my husband is an elder at our church and we are church planting with another family. We don't look like the typical church, we meet in a gymnasium/multi-purpose area at a local Christian school, we don't have Sunday School, we don't have children's church or youth groups, and we worship together as one big family. This isn't easy and it is hard to focus. We have little people who make a lot of noise (mine is the noisiest) and there are bigger little people who squirm an awful lot (my other is pretty wiggly)! We are a room filled with imperfect people seeking a Savior who is perfect!

Picture from The Big Picture Story Bible

Our elders are currently preaching through the book of Acts. Last Sunday's sermon was from Acts 11:19-30 and titled The Grace Colored Church. The main point was that, "The Kingdom of God is not stagnant. Jesus is actively pouring out grace on the church as they remain faithful to Him." When I look around the room and I see the men, women and children present I see God's grace in our midst. 

I see the lives He is changing, the truth He is imparting and the grace He is bestowing. 

I am so grateful to be a part of a grace colored church, one where lives are being changed, accountability is being had, love is being manifested and sacrifices for one another are being made. 

Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!

Dying to Live

 I have been irritable, grumpy, short tempered, and just plain ole mean! I sure don't mean to be short with my children or sigh heavily when they inconvenience me. I hate it when hurtful things are said or my body language doesn't communicate what my heart truly feels. I hate my sin!! Plain and simple! I may hate my sin but I am not attempting to put it to death. 

 John Owen, a puritan preacher, once said about sin...

"Do you mortify? Do you make it your daily work? Be always at it whilst you live; cease not a day from this work; be killing sin or it will be killing you."

 I am so thankful for the work of the Holy Spirit in my life. Thankful that the Spirit applies the truth of  God's word to my heart so that I can repent and look to Jesus. 

A brief mention of a text during the sermon Sunday caught my attention, 

^"Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."

Matthew 16:24-25

  Following Jesus is a call to die. A call to die to my flesh, my desires, my wants, my wishes. It is also a call to LIVE to Him. A call to LOVE freely and LIVE completely.

This call to die is a call to live!

What that means for me as a wife, mother, and sister in Christ is that I need to love God with all my heart, mind, soul and strength and love my neighbor as myself (Matthew 22:34-39). It means I need to put away all bitterness, wrath, and anger and be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving. I need to walk in love as Christ loved us and gave himself up for as!  (Ephesians 4:31-5:2). 

"What happens in the messiness of relationships is that our hearts are revealed, our weaknesses are exposed, and we start coming to the end of ourselves. Only when this happens do we reach out for the help God alone can provide. Weak and needy people finding their hope in Christ's grace are what mark a mature relationship. The most dangerous aspect of your relationships is not your weakness, but your delusions of strength. Self-reliance is almost always a component of a bad relationship. While we would like to avoid the mess and enjoy deep intimate community, God says that it is in the very process pf working through the mess that intimacy is found."

-  Relationships: A Mess Worth Making by Tim Lane & Paul Tripp page 12

(italics mine)

 

Nothing brings me to the end of myself quicker than my children. I KNOW this is because God intendeds to use them in the shaping of my soul! They daily prove to me that I am not enough and I need way more Jesus in my life. They remind me of my need for a savior and they display grace to me as I am a work in progress.

My children are not perfect, they are a mess like their momma! We all sin! When you put us in the same room it can be combustible at times and end poorly with tears from all parties. Like their momma they too have a Hope. An eternal hope that rests in Christ Jesus and His finished work on the cross.  

Like my children, I too have a Hope! I can be joyful, patient, kind and loving because of what Jesus has done. I can walk in love because Christ loved me and gave himself up for me. 

I can truly live by following Christ's call to His disciples, by denying myself, taking up my cross and following Jesus. 

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Homeschool Mother's Journal | Weekly Wrap Up

I have participated in the Homeschool Mother's Journal in the past and really enjoyed how it nicely summarized the week for me. Since we just kicked off our school year I am hoping to make this a weekly addition to my blogging. 

Week of August 19-23

• In my life this week... 

• I was repeatedly reminded how very thankful I am for the gift of my children. 

• In our homeschool this week…

• We started school! 1 week down! I cannot believe I have a 1st grader and 2.5 year old!

• Places we went and people we saw...

• We had traveled to Kansas City at the end of the week and stopped in Fort Scott along the way and made a zoo trip with friends! 

• My favorite thing this week was…

• Watching my little girl work hard! We just started with review but she stayed on task most of the time and worked really hard! 

• Things I’m working on…

• Editing an engagement session and 1 year old session.    Working on getting everything in line for our first few days of Classical Conversations. (I am the Foundations/Essentials director for our community!)

• I’m grateful for…

• Jesus! I am so very thankful for the grace that is found in Jesus. 

• Camelbak water bottle replacement caps... silly, yes! I bought  a new water bottle a few weeks ago, my daughter left it on the floor, my dog chewed the loop part which is pretty vital to the "why" of me getting the new water bottle. I was able to replace just the part so I can use my spiffy new water bottle again!

• I'm reading... 

• Relationships a Mess Worth Making, Sacred Parenting, and Simply Homeschool.

• I'm looking forward to...

• Worshipping with my church family tomorrow. 

• First day of Essentials Tuesday

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Field Trip

This year I want to be more intentional with field trips! One of my very favorite things to do is to get off the four lane and take the "scenic" route. I was headed to Kansas City on Thursday to see a friend and take 1 year old pictures of her sweet baby girl. I decided to avoid 4 lane as much as possible. Our trip took us really close to Prairie State Park, so we detoured in hopes of seeing buffalo and elk. The camera was in the back of the vehicle so no pictures from there and we didn't see any buffalo or elk. 

We also drove through Fort Scott, Kansas. We stopped at Fort Scott National Historic Site and stretched our legs and walked around a bit. There is a lot of history to be learned at Fort Scott. We are going to plan a trip and go back with our in house history buff, daddy!

 

These two photos make me laugh! The conversation went like this, "Brother, hold sisters hand." Sissy sticks out hand, brother crosses arms, sister crosses arms, they both giggle like crazy!

my kiddos! 

 

 While in Kansas City we made trip to the zoo! The newest exhibit is the polar bear exhibit. He was pretty fascinating to watch! 

 

Happy Saturday!

Friday Favorites

Here are a few things I loved this week from the World Wide Web!

From The Better Mom, The Bravery of Motherhood.

Loved this, 

"...Christian mothers must love God more than their children. They must believe that He can be trusted with the little ones He made. They must have the courage to trust God through long nights of infant sickness, days of potty training and terrible twos, moments of childhood heartache, seasons of teenage rebellion, and the inevitable day when their little ones leave the nest. Christian mothers must have the courage to face these days knowing that whether the outcome is desired or not, God’s gracious and loving character remains the same."

This Light of the World Map, from the IMB Website.

I was convicted and challenged once again about my need to pray for, give to and go for the cause of Christ! 

I struggle with impatience!!!! This post from the GirlTalk Blog Archives blessed me!

Loved this Infographic

Source: TopMastersInEducation.com

Purpose of Education

 

I shared this with our Classical Conversations community last night at parent orientation and wanted to share it here too.

John Milton, a seventeenth century Christian poet, thinker, and statesman, exemplifies the classically educated Renaissance Man. In his pamphlet "Of Education," Milton wrote that "the end then of learning is to repair the ruins of our first parents be regaining to know God aright and out of the knowledge to love him, to imitate him, to be like him." As Christian parents, this is surely our aspiration for our children.The soul who rightly achieves wisdom is the one who knows God intimately and acts according to that knowledge. It is a full soul which pours fourth acts of worship in both song and service. A classical, Christian education, then teaches students to love God by learning about the world as God's universe, designed by His creative mind, governed by His laws, and sustained by His providential guidance.

-- Classical Education Made Approachable page 47

When I read this it resonated with my soul. My desire is to know God correctly, accurately and well. To love Him and imitate Him so that I can be more like Him.  I am thankful that I too am repairing my education alongside my childen. 

Classical Education Made Approachable is a really great little book. It is a quick read that will equip and encourage anyone as they are wanting to learn more or be refreshed in the classical model of education.

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First Day of First Grade

We just wrapped up our first day of first grade! We are just reviewing and sharpening our skills from where we left off. It was a fun day for all and we let little brother in on the action! 

We started off with Bible over breakfast. That consisted of a pre-creation story from The Child's Story Bible and scripture & catechism review from Truth & Grace Memory books. We also all said something we were thankful for and wrote it on the chalkboard.

Brother joined in for a little bear sorting action.

 

Sister worked hard on reviewing basic addition and solving for the unknown. Writing her upper & lower case letters. Reading/reviewing words & sounds we have previously learned and reading some short readers aloud to me! She worked really hard today, I can tell we are out of practice on somethings!

And of course there are first day of school pictures! (I usually just use my camera on auto for snapshots but I pulled out the big camera for these!) 

Brother, being brother!! :) See that nerf gun in his pocket, it is his new fixation! He usually has something with him, guitar picks, a "game", nerf gun... he is napping with it as we speak! My ornery, silly, sweet boy!

 

Sweet sister! She loves fiercely, is passionate about life, loves to create, bounces wherever she goes, and a song is always on her lips!

 

 I am one blessed momma!

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Last Minute Prep

Tomorrow is our first day of school! I am really excited about getting the school year underway. We spent our last day of summer with a mini picnic at the park and a free red box movie. I did some prep work for tomorrow and I am tucking in soon! 

This year I decide I want to try a "binder" system with Kyla. Basically it will contain her daily agenda, to-do list, a section to move her completed assignments for me to check all at once, and our daily calendar time. Trying to instill a little independence. 

Of course she would pick a flowery binder :) 

 

I am our local Classical Conversation's Community Foundations & Essentials Program director and tomorrow is parent orientation. I had a little prep work to get ready for that! We have some wonderful families and great tutors in our community! I am looking forward to watching God work in our community this year!

 I mentioned previously I really struggled with what to do about Bible this year. I finally decided and placed my order at the end of last week. One book was suppose to arrive today and one tomorrow. I was stoked when I checked the tracking and they were BOTH out for delivery today! I am about to tuck myself under the covers with these two books and my bible and get a plan on paper for our Bible time.

 

All day today I have been overwhelmed with thankfulness that I get to stay at home with my babies and point them to Christ. Our best conversations about the Lord happen in the midst of the ordinary. 

I am reminded of Deuteronomy 6:6-9 

"And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."   

I wouldn't trade ordinary for anything! 

The opportunity to teach them how to read & write is icing on the cake!

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