A Classical-meets-Mason Take on Cycle 1

There are a few seasons through the year that get me really excited.  Most of them revolve around holidays, with their decorations, gatherings and traditions (plus, ya know: food!), but the other “most wonderful time of the year” in my world is back to school.  Planning for a new school year is Candy Land for me – I’m not even ashamed to say that I might like the planning process better than the schooling process!  I’m an idealist, a creative and a thinker, and planning checks all of those boxes.

Although I’m partial to Cycles 2 and 3, Cycle 1 is routinely the favorite of my biggest kids.  My eldest daughter is a walking  encyclopedia of Greek Mythology, and her brother isn’t far behind.  Ancient history is endlessly fascinating, and they are counting down the days until we begin.  

This will be our 8th year in Classical Conversations and our 3rd time through Cycle 1, and we continue to love it as much as we ever have.  This year marks a strange mash up of milestones for our family: It’s my daughter’s last year of Foundations (sob) and my son’s last time through Cycle 1.  But it is also the beginning our 4 year old’s CC journey, and we’ll have two in Essentials.  In other words, for the 2021-2022 school year, we’ll have an 11 year old (gr 6), 9yo (gr 4), 7yo (gr 1-2) and 4yo (pre-k/K), as well as the new baby for quality control.  Whew!  I need another cup of coffee just reading that!

Planning a Classical Conversations year

I’ve written extensively about how I plan my CC year (if you’re in need of inspiration, this post is a great place to begin!).  We find that using CC as our spine but implementing with a Charlotte Mason twist works best for us.  What does this mean?

Living Books bring the weekly history and science memory work to life. They add richness and depth while emphasizing beautiful language and inspiring, imaginative ideas that enhance factual knowledge.

“One more thing is of vital importance; children must have books, living books; the best are not too good for them; anything less than the best is not good enough.”

Charlotte Mason

Charlotte Mason advocated strongly for the raising of whole-hearted, well rounded children. Her philosophy therefore emphasizes a curriculum comprised of a wide range of subjects, including those considered more “obscure” by modern standards like nature study, art, foreign language, music, theology, handicrafts, Shakespeare and poetry.

“The question is not, – ‘how much does the youth know?’ when he has finished his education – but how much does he care? and about how many orders of things does he care? In fact, how large is the room in which he finds his feet set? And, therefore, how full is the life he has before him?”

Charlotte Mason

Those two simple, profound ideas – living books and a varied curriculum – have transformed the way we implement CC at home.

In that spirit, let me give you two (FREE!) resources that have been central to our success and enjoyment of this cycle.

Cycle 1 Booklist

Inside, you’ll find both year-long and weekly reading suggestions for the first 12 weeks of Cycle 1.  I’ve included resources for art/artist study, nature study, hands-on activities, as well as beautiful readings for history and science.  This is by no means an exhaustive list… however, I hope it provides an easy place to inspire your homeschool journey.  

DOWNLOAD THE BOOKLIST HERE!

**Please note: this download works best on a desktop.  To view on mobile device, click here.

Additionally, my favorite way to keep track of our school year is in a simple Excel spreadsheet.  This versatile tool allows me to do so many things that save me time when I’m in the throes of a busy school year. It gives me one place to keep track of everything from book titles, to web links for activities, recipes, poems, composers, and literally anything else we need for the year.  I’m also able to easily go back and look at resources I used during the last time through a cycle, and, let’s be honest, that alone is worth the price of admission.  Nothing gets lost, it’s easy to flag any weeks I still need to find a resource… the benefits of this simple system are endless.

To make planning your CC year a breeze, OF COURSE I’m giving you a copy of this valuable tool!  

DOWNLOAD THE PLANNING SHEET HERE!

**Download works best on desktop.  To view using mobile device, click here.  

How to Use this Spreadsheet

You’ll need to update the dates according to your community’s calendar.  I’ve included two extra rows for planning the weeks before CC begins, which of course you can delete or utilize as you see fit.  Also, the first column is for those of you who are a little OCD (like me!  HI!!) who like to keep track of the weeks of school overall (since CC is only a 24 week program and we do more schooling than that).  If you’re not worried about such things, just delete that first column.  

The tabs at the top are going to be completely unique to your family according to the priorities that fit your giftings, personality and season.

Label each column across the top based on YOUR family’s weekly priorities. What subjects will you cover and find resources for on a weekly basis?  Maybe you need different resources for each kid – so each child gets his or her own column. There is no wrong way to personalize this as you make it work for your family.  The point is that we are far more lilkely to be consistent and successful if we first identify what we really want to do, and then organize our weeks accordingly. Developing a vision for our homeschools – where we’ll spend our precious, limited resources of time, energy and money – is a must. 

This document comes completed as an example, by MY family and how WE best operate – so go to town and make it work for you!

If you’re looking for more inspiration and want to see how my family is rounding out our school year,  CLICK HERE to see how I’m filling out & updating our spreadsheet in real time.  Note: You will be able to SEE this document only, not edit or download it, as it is the one I actually use to plan our year.  

It is my fervent hope that these tools make planning your homeschool year a little easier and lot more joyful.  

Happy learning, friends!

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Our first weeks of school, and a Native American unit

Native American Diorama

Whew!  It has been a whirlwind first three weeks of school, but we are so glad to be back!

As you probably know, we use Classical Conversations as the spine of our year.  We are currently in Cycle 3, which means that American history is the broad focus.  So, although we have not started back in community yet, a 3 week study of Native American history and culture was the perfect way to kick off our school year!

First up, the book list:

Also included (though not pictured):

Pocahontas by Ingri d’Aulaire

The Adventurous Life of Miles Standish by Cheryl Harness

Jingle Dancer by Cynthia Smith

Thanks to the Animals by Allen Sockabasin

First Strawberries by Joseph Bruchac

The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush by Tomie de Paola

We made several crafts, including these fun feather necklaces, and learned about the symbolism behind different tribes’ art, which we then translated into Native American headdresses.

We did our first Friday Fun of the school year… a little rhythm I picked up from a social studies teacher I worked with who allowed his students to draw instead of write everything they could remember about a certain topic.  

Although we don’t do it every week, this has been a fun practice to add in!  I give them only a few expectations: 1) that what they draw pertains to a specific week of learning, 2) that they draw what they remember – not just a copy of what a sibling has done, 3) they must use THE ENTIRE TIME to draw.  There is no such thing as “finished!”  As they draw, I might ask them questions about what they’re making or what they remember.

It’s always amazing to see what comes out… and how they grow and progress throughout the year!

I am particularly excited about our composer study this term.  In an effort to expand our collection of largely dead, white composers, I went looking for a composer of color.  What I found blew me away!

Le Chevalier de Saint-George was the son of a French aristocrat and a slave.  Raised in France, he became a prolific composer, even becoming the personal music tutor of Marie Antoinette.  He both inspired and, according to some sources, was deeply envied by Mozart.  During the French Revolution, he served as a Colonel of the first all-black batallion in France!  And incredibly… his is a name I’d never heard before!  

On the preschool front, I am using God’s Little Explorers (our 4th tour! I can’t believe how time flies!).  We’ve had a good few weeks studying the letters X and G – though I didn’t take many pictures.

The kids finished up their exploration of early Native Americans with a diorama.  If you remember our World War I unit, we kind of fell in love with the process of making a visual representation of what we know.  I love how it turned out!

This Kids Discover magazine was our primary source – as well as tid-bits gleaned from our many other readings.  They read about the lifestyles, food sources, clothing and culture of different tribes based on geographical region.  Then, they selected one of those regions to represent.  They selected the Great Plains tribes, and we’re in love with how it turned out!

Native American Diorama

I have two favorite parts of a project like this.  The first is marveling at the depth of their understanding of a subject as it comes to life before our eyes.  What we’re doing everyday, the mundane and the mighty, really is sinking in and taking root!  It’s amazing!  The second is watching my two oldest kiddos put their heads together, learn to compromise, practice working together to make something that they both can feel proud of.  That process of growth and character building is such a treasure – and I hope, lessons that will last a lifetime. 

It was a busy, wonderful first three weeks back.  We’re excited to dive into our Classical Conversations year!

Happy learning, friends!

 

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Made for This: 30 Days of praying for my homeschool

Back to school will forever be one of my favorite times of the year.  It’s such a busy, optimistic season, where plans have been hatched, supplies prepared, goals laid out, and the unspoiled reality of a perfect year is still within our grasp. 

This year, with all its chaos, uncertainty and surprises, we have learned more intimately than ever how quickly our best laid plans can go astray.  Every day recently, I answer messages from sweet mamas who are burdened and fearful about the choices they have to make with regards to education.  The homeschooling community has ballooned suddenly, often under duress, raising so many uncomfortable questions: How will I find the time?  Will I be enough?  What is the right path for us?  Even as a veteran homeschool mama, these questions can become a voice that whispers subtle words of doubt, distraction and inadequacy into our days. 

Against such doubts, we must hold fast to the why behind all we’re doing.  We’re not doing it as a badge of honor, hashtag-winning-at-life, or to keep up with the proverbial Joneses.  

We’re doing it as an act of obedience. Honor. Worship. Love.

We’re doing it for the Glory of the King. And it is to Him we must return if our precious children are to rise up and call us blessed. After all, whatever our motivations, and whatever reasons brought us to this choice, He – not we! – is the source of it all!

Friends, I hope that you will join me this August in 30 Days of Praying for My Homeschool.

Like an anchor in a storm, His word guides and directs us. More than that, though, many Bible scholars believe that God requires us to pray before he can go to work. British evangelist John Wesley famously wrote, “God does nothing on earth save in answer to believing prayer.”

This means that, in order to recieve the blessings we hope for out of our homeschools, we can’t plan or wish them into existence. We arent required to dig a little deeper or work a little harder to make them come to pass.

We are invited into His presence.  Invited to take the time alone with God.  To press in, and ask.

And we can wait expectantly for a rousing victory.

Of course, there is no right or wrong way to pray. But if you are in need of a little direction, I have created a resource, and I can’t wait to share it with you!

Made for This: 30 Days of Praying for Your Homeschool offers 30 days of verses to pray over yourself and your family, focusing on 6 different areas of development.

And you can get your copy below, FREE!!

30 Days of Praying for my Homeschool

I hope that this will be a time of encouragement. It is my prayer that the Word of God will drown out any doubt, filling you instead with the confident, tender whispers of your Father, His deep love for you, and your own incredible capacity to lead your family in this thing called homeschool.

If you use it, please be sure to let me know what you think! You can also follow along via Instagram using #30daysofprayingformyhomeschool.

Happy praying, friends!

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A Classical-meets-Mason take on Cycle 3 Q. 1

If you’ve been around a while, you know that I have a bit of a love affair with school planning.  There’s a very real chance that I enjoy the planning process more than the actual schooling process… planning is so simple, straightforward, and idealistic.  Not to mention, nobody ever cries over copywork when you’re planning.  

The truth about this cycle is that I don’t think I’ve ever spent so little time developing a booklist.  Although certainly some titles have been updated as my children have grown, this is largely the same as what we did 3 years ago, the last time through this cycle. And with good reason.  We had an absolute blast last time through!  There was only a little that I felt compelled to change.

Because it is long already, this list is for Quarter 1 only.  I’ll post a separate look at the subsequent quarters. 

Each week typically includes 3 non-fiction and 3 fictional titles, differentiated novels that will be read by my 10, 8 and 6 year old over the course of the 6 weeks, and science readings.  I’ve also included a smattering of fun activities we’ll attempt to accomplish.  

At the end of the post, you’ll find a long list of other books that are relevant to the subject matter. We read the 7 titles I’ve listed each week, and I leave the others out on a shelf so that my kids can pick them up in their spare time or use them in other activities.

Ready to dive in?

Week 1: Columbus

This Country of Ours: How Columbus Fared by HE Marshall

Around the World in 100 Years: Columbus by Jean Fritz

Roanoake: The Lost Colony by Jane Yolen

Children’s Book of America: Father Junipero Serra by William J. Bennet

American Tall Tales: Paul Bunyon by Adrien Stoutenburg

Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare (Gr. 5)

Traitor: The Case of Benedict Arnold by Jean Fritz (Gr. 3)

Winnie the Pooh ch. 1 (Gr. K/1)

Science: Inside Out Human Body Book – Tissue

Activity: Easy Make & Learn Projects Colonial America – Croatoan Mystery Tree

Week 2: Pilgrims

This Country of Ours by HE Marshall: Story of the Pilgrim Fathers

Pilgrims of Plymouth by Marcia Sewell

If You Sailed on the Mayflower by Ann McGovern

Three Young Pilgrims by Cheryl Harness

Minn of the Mississippi Ch. 5 (will begin book prior to beginning CC) by Holling C. Holling

Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare (Gr. 5)

Traitor: The Case of Benedict Arnold by Jean Fritz (Gr. 3)

Winnie the Pooh ch. 2 (Gr. K/1)

Science: Inside Out Human Body – Axial Skeleton

Activity: Scholastic Life in the Colonies video 

Interactive 3-D Maps – The Voyage of the Mayflower

Week 3: The Boston Tea Party

This Country of Ours by HE Marshall – Paul Revere’s Ride

Liberty or Death by Betsy Maestro – Boston Tea Party through shot heard round the world

We Were There at the Boston Tea Party by Robert Webb

She Fought, Too by Tara Ross

Minn of the Mississippi by Holling C. Holling – ch. 6

Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare (Gr. 5)

Traitor: The Case of Benedict Arnold by Jean Fritz (Gr. 3)

Winnie the Pooh ch. 3 (Gr. K/1)

Science: Inside Out Human Body – Muscle

Poem: Paul Revere’s Ride by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Copywork: Patrick Henry – “Give Me Liberty or Give me Death” speech

Activity: Washington’s Spies – Lemon Juice spy code

Interactive 3-D Maps – Paul Revere’s Ride

Week 4: Declaration of Independence

Liberty or Death by Betsy Maestro – Bunker Hill through…?

George vs. George by Rosalyn Schanzer

A Spy Called James by Anne Rockwell **this was one of our absolute favorites last time through!  I highly recommend!

Children’s Book of America by William Bennett – The Bravery of Abigail Adams

Minn of the Mississippi by Holling C. Holling – Ch. 7

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare (Gr. 5)

Traitor: The Case of Benedict Arnold by Jean Fritz (Gr. 3)

Winnie the Pooh ch. 4 (Gr. K/1)

Science: Inside Out Human Body – Nervous System

Activity: Make the Declaration of Independence

Copywork: First sentences of the Declaration

Week 5: George Washington

This Country of Ours by HE Marshall – Birth of a Great Nation

The 4th of July Story by Alice Dagliesh

George Washington by D’Aulaire

**Prior to the start of CC 3 years ago, we read aloud the chapter book George Washington: True Patriot.  It helped tremendously to set up the entire revolutionary period, enhance everyone’s background knowledge, and familiarize us with the many characters of the Founding Fathers and the war.  Washington is uniquely positioned to tell both stories at the same time, and we came away feeling like this significant historical character was a beloved friend.

Children’s Book of America by William Bennett – Yankee Doodle

Minn of the Mississippi by Holling C. Holling – Ch. 7

Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare (Gr. 5)

Traitor: The Case of Benedict Arnold by Jean Fritz (Gr. 3)

Winnie the Pooh ch. 5 (Gr. K/1)

Activity: Draw Write Now – George Washington

Copywork: Quotes from Washington

Week 6: Lewis and Clark

This Country of Ours – Jefferson

How We Crossed the West by Rosalyn Schanzer

Sacagawea by Liselotte Erdich

Louisiana Purchase by Peter Roop

Minn of the Mississippi by Holling C. Holling – Ch. 7

Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare (Gr. 5)

Traitor: The Case of Benedict Arnold by Jean Fritz (Gr. 3)

Winnie the Pooh ch. 6 (Gr. K/1)

Other subject selections for this term can be found HERE.

Other books to check out:

Sarah Morton’s Day: A Day in the life of a Pilgrim Girl by Kate Waters

Pocahontas by Ingri D’Aulaire

Who’s that Stepping on Plymouth Rock by Jean Fritz

Magic Treehouse: Thanksgiving on Thursday 

Independent Dames by Laurie Halse Anderson

Chains, Forge, Ashes Trilogy by Laurie Halse Anderson 

The Revolutionary War: An Interactive History by Elizabeth Baum

Shh! We’re Writing the Constitution by Jean Fritz

Benjamin Franklin by D’Aulaire

American Girl – Felicity Series

Colonial Voices: Hear them Speak by Kay Winters

Dear America series – The Winter of Red Snow

Discovering the West: The Expedition of Lewis and Clark

A couple of notes: Following Ambleside Online’s Shakespeare rotation, I usually do one play per term.  Because the literature is so rich and the topics so big, we’ll be doing our Shakespeare prior to the beginning of CC.  Stay tuned for that unit list, I’m still working on it. 🙂 

Okay friends, I think that wraps it up for now.  As always, you can follow along with my open-and-go document, which is always living and in progress by clicking HERE

I hope these titles are a help in planning your own amazing Cycle 3 year!  Please feel free to let me know if you have any questions.

Happy learning!

 

 

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Cycle 3 Resources & Planning

I have a very tender place in my heart for Cycle 3.  Particularly soft because it is the first cycle my family ever completed with Classical Conversations, back when my oldest was only 4.  Her brother, age two, was in the nursery, and her brand new baby sister – not even a month old! – sat quietly wrapped up against my chest in the back of Leah’s classroom, taking in together what was to become our family’s way of life.

Such happy memories!!!

As we begin Cycle 3 next year, that little girl is now a young lady.  It will be her third and final time through this cycle.  That cute two year old face will be 8, going through it a second time; the bitty newborn will be 6, her first time through (although last time at only 3 she knew all the states and capitals better than anyone!).  If you’re keeping track, that means we’ll have a 10 (gr. 5), 8 (gr. 3), 6 (gr. k/1) and 3 1/2year old in school together in the fall.  I have no doubts they’ll keep me on my toes, but I am truly excited.  There’s just no one else I’d rather spend my days with!

You guys, I can’t wait to get started.  There is so much wonderful content to cover in this cycle!  At the end of this post, I’ve included a FREEBIE you won’t want to miss! My editable, personalized Cycle 3 weekly planning sheet!  Let’s dig in…

What we’re using

Language Arts

My family uses the Charlotte Mason method to flesh out our Classical Conversations year.  This means that we focus on high quality literature connected specifically to each week’s history and science topic.  Many of you have asked for my weekly booklist, so stay tuned, because I’ll be making that available later this week.  My children also take turns narrating their readings rather than answering comprehension questions or doing worksheets. In addition, language arts includes:

  • Daily poetry readings from Now We Are Six, Oxford Illustrated book of American Children’s Poems and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
  • IEW (10 year old) – formal composition
  • Essentials (10 year old)
  • English Grammar Practice (8 year old)
  • All About Reading Level 1 (6 year old)
  • BOB books (6 year old)
  • Wooden Alphabet Tracing board (3 year old) I want absolutely every beautiful thing from Treasures from Jennifer, but this one has proved useful with my littlest guys for many years.  I’m a big fan of her work!
  • The 8 and 6 year old will be working on various forms of copywork to support handwriting and spelling at developmentally appropriate levels.  In the past, I have been able to find print copywork pages of the history sentences on CC Connected for my earliest writers.  Cycle 3 is also a fun one to pull historical documents like the Constitution, or quotations from Founding Fathers and other historical figures for kids to use as copywork.  
  • We DO NOT use a formal spelling program during our 24 weeks of CC.  Reading, copywork, Essentials and grammar training take the place of formal spelling.

Math

My kids are humming along with their math programs, and I am extremely happy to report that we are making no changes for the fall semester. The older two will continue with Teaching Textbooks, and Miss 6 will continue with Horizons math.  Don’t fix what isn’t broken!

Science

I am excited this year to be using the brand new Learning With Friends Anatomy Bundle which supports CC memory work for Cycle 3!  This program focuses on weekly experiments that tie in, so we look forward to adding that to our repertoire.  We are also absolutely getting one of these.  Honestly, I wanted one last time through and couldn’t justify it – but I’ve always regretted that choice!  How much fun will the kids have taking apart these squishy organs?!

Geography

The children will practice mapwork by drawing both the US and groupings of/individual states.  We will work through 50 States and Where to find them, studying one or two states per week as time allows, while the youngest two will color these free Crayola states sheets.  We’ll also be reading a chapter per week out of Minn of the Mississippi by family favorite Holling C. Holling.  (Last time through, we read Paddle-to-the-Sea, and I highly recommend that title as well!)  We’ll also be revisiting some favorite projects from Interactive 3-D Maps, which was a hit last time through.

 Picture Study

I love the CM method of picture study, which typically focuses on the work of a single artist.  However, for the first term, we are going to use this Early American Picture Pack of American works painted during the Revolutionary era.  In addition to paintings of historical figures like Samuel Adams and George Washington, I like that the pack presents paintings of daily life during the 17 and 18th centuries.  I haven’t decided which artist we’ll study for terms 2 and 3, but last time through we did Winslow Homer and Mary Cassat, both American artists. 

Other add-ins from Charlotte Mason

We will continue with our weekly composer studies via Composers tea, which is a beloved part of our rhythm.  My two oldest will also begin keeping notebooks and jotting down events, people, wars, etc in their Book of Centuries.  My 10 year old and I will be diving into true, unabridged Shakespeare for the first time, while the two youngers continue to use Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare and Tales from Shakespeare

Bible/Gentle Preschool

My youngest will be three and a half in the fall, and although I’m not big on pushing academics in the early years, I’ve decided that life will actually be easier if I can get him on board and allow him to “do school” along with us.  I have used and loved God’s Little Explorers curriculum with all of my little ones, and it is what we will be revisiting again this year.  Truly, I cannot say enough good things about it!  This program travels through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, with scripture memorization, hymns and preschool songs, activities and crafts, as well as a “letter of the week” to go along with each Bible story.   

Now here’s the crazy piece where I may lose you: I’m doing this with everybody.

No, the big kids won’t practice their letters.  But we’ll use this as a guide for our morning time and everyone will get to revisit Bible stories, songs and activities they loved when we did this with a preschooler last time.  Here’s the thing: I only have two years left before my oldest goes to Challenge.  I could encourage her to go “deeper” and do more with the Bible… or, we could linger here in the basics, solidifying everyone’s foundation, together, for one more year while we still have the chance. Somehow when all is said and done, I don’t think any of us will regret it. 

Hot tip: Shortly after July 4th, Hobby Lobby brings out its fall and holiday merchandise.  It’s a great place to find all things Pilgrims and early America!

How I plan each CC week

I’ve written before that my favorite way to plan is using a simple excel spreadsheet.  I like it for oh so many reasons!  It gives me one singular place that I can access from anywhere to keep track of everything from book titles, to web links with activities, to recipes, poems, composers, and literally anything else we need for the year.  I’m also able to easily go back and look at what resources I used during the last time through a cycle!  Nothing gets lost, it’s easy to flag any weeks I still need to find a resource… you guys, the benefits just go on and on!

To make planning your CC year a breeze, I am giving you a BLANK, EDITABLE copy of this spreadsheet!!

Click below to download!

Cycle 3 planning form

How to use this spreadsheet

**Download works best from a desktop.  To view from a cell phone, click here

You’ll need to update the dates according to your community’s calendar.  I’ve included two extra rows for planning the weeks before CC begins, which of course you can delete or utilize as you see fit.  Also, the first column is for those of you who are a little OCD (like me!  HI!!) who like to keep track of the weeks of school overall (since CC is only a 24 week program and we do more schooling than that).  If you’re not worried about such things, just feel free to delete that first column.  

The tabs at the top are going to be completely unique to your family according to the priorities that fit your giftings, personality and season. 

Label each column across the top based on your family’s weekly priorities. What subjects will you cover and find resources for on a weekly basis?  Maybe you need different resources for each kid – so each child gets his or her own column. There is no wrong way to personalize this as you make it work for your family.  The point is that we are far more lilkely to be consistent and successful if we first identify what we really want to do, and then organize our weeks accordingly. Developing a vision for our homeschools – where we’ll spend our precious, limited resources of time, energy and money – is a must. 

This document comes completed as an example, by MY family and how WE best operate – so go to town and make it work for you!

To see the completed spreadsheet, including all the resources we used last time through Cycle 3, click HERE!

Cycle 3 booklist is coming soon (but in all honesty, I’m going to re-use a LOT of the titles you’ll find if you click on that spreadsheet link above). 

Let me know what questions you have, or how I can help in the planning process. 🙂

Happy learning!

 

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Our Charlotte Mason-inspired spring term

We have had THE most marvelous break week.  Despite being under quarantine, my husband’s job “pause” (pause because as an independent contractor who produces live events, there is no job “loss.” His industry just ceased to exist.  At all.  World wide. Yes, these are strange times!), and a general atmosphere of uncertainty, this little corner of the world feels like sanctuary.  

I have been ruminating ever more on the meaning and preciousness of HOME, and I have much to say about it… but that is a conversation for another time.  

For now, let’s talk education.

We are in that exciting phase of the year where the end is in sight.  Memories made, goals met, and more lies behind us than ahead.  All that’s left to do is finish strong.  Because we follow Classical Conversations (which is a 24 week program), the more “structured” portion of our year has ended, and we have a bit more time to pursue passion projects – but, in the style that best fits our family,  with a Charlotte Mason twist.  There are also things that we put off through the weeks of CC as we prioritize memory work and Essentials, which will need to be re-prioritized during this time. 

Because of the limitations of our current world, I have made it a priority to 1) use what we have and 2) make ZERO new purchases OF ANY RESOURCES… which is a real commitment, as I am sorely tempted!

As always, you can find my entire schedule, activities, weekly readings, artist study, etc HERE. (Hint: spring term begins at line 100.)  If you would like to learn more about how I plan our Classical-Meets-Mason school year, this is a great place to begin.

I cannot emphasize enough how rough these timeslots are.  I am a huge fan of scheduling as a tool to help us stay on track, not by which to count every minute.  I make the schedule, but I also feel no regret in chucking it, either.  

Morning Time

Our morning time is much unchanged in terms of its rhythm.  In January, I added poetry to help us be more consistent, but otherwise, everything we’re working through is the same.  This term, instead of focusing on the work of a single poet, we’ll do topical poetry studies that line up with our weekly nature theme.  I have to tell you, I am really excited about it!  There are so many wonderful titles to choose from, and we’ll throw in some sweet ones from Outside Your Window.

Literature

I began asking the kids if there was anything particular that they wanted to learn or revisit during this spring session, and they resoundingly replied, “GREEK MYTHOLOGY!”  Yes, in fact they did yell it exactly like that.  There may have been marching and chanting to weigh in their corner as well.  So, we’ll do a 5 week unit revisiting the Greeks, gods, heroes and monsters, which was a favorite study early in our 18-19 school year.  

Following Ambleside Online, our reading for this term was supposed to be Kidnapped! by Robert Louis Stevenson.  But since I can’t get it from the library and I’ve resolved not to purchase anything, we’re going for the better known RLS classic (the one we already happen to own! Illustrated!): Treasure Island.  My kiddos are 10, 7 and 5, and we’ll all gather around 3 times a week to enjoy it together. 

My eldest daughter and I are currently enjoying a marvelous production of Emma (this one from Audible) and can’t wait to watch the movie!

The rest of our reading is a bit of a hodge-podge compiled of some of my go to “general” resources.  Charles & Mary Lamb’s adaptation of Hamlet; chapters from The Burgess Animal Book, 50 Famous Stories Retold, Trial and Triumph and some of our other anthologies that can stand alone. 

Science

I have always been tremendously pleased with the strong science foundation they recieve through Classical Conversations memory work, whose topics span everything from natural science, biology, anatomy, chemistry, astronomy and physics, as well as weekly hands-on experiments to supplement their memory work.  Since we have the time and luxury in this season to choose, we’re going to do a bit more “observational” science in the form of nature study.  Each week we’ll take on an element of the natural world and spend time reading, crafting and studying it in our own back yard.  Topics and reading list includes:

Caterpillars & Butterflies

Birds

Wildflowers

Honeybees

Gardening

Mountains – actually, I haven’t decided on this one yet.  I’ll keep you posted!

And, of course, the best thing I can do – the best thing I can always do – is to love those faces I call mine.  To spend time with them and infuse their days with beauty, memories, and joy.  Even the best curriculum or plan is no substitute for a peaceful, present mama.

Happy learning, friends!

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Tips for math – without the tears!

Raise your hand if you have a child who struggled with math last week.  

Maybe you didn’t see it, but everyone reading this has their hands in the air.  Because teaching math at home is hard!  And it’s hard for almost everyone.

As more and more moms become reluctant homeschoolers because of Covid 19, this conversation about math is one I’ve been having a lot over the last few weeks.  But we can do it – and a few small changes can make a huge difference in the level of resistance with a frustrated kid.

Watch below to hear:

  • How to help a fidgety mathematician (especially the boys!)
  • What to do when your child is overwhelmed
  • An effective strategy for teaching new material or struggling learners

You’ll hear me mention the homeschool math program we love.  I’m sharing it because it is a tremendous resource that brought great peace to my personal homeschool.  If you’re in need of an additional resource for math, Teaching Textbooks may be worth a look.

I’m rooting for you!

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Secrets to homeschooling without overwhelm

It seems like everything I read right now begins with a riff on the same refrain: We are living through strange times.

Of course, with the closure of schools, empty streets, the looming threat of illness, jobs in jeopardy and public life generally on hold, unprecidented and uncertain don’t adequately capture the gravity of this moment. 

Within the sanctuary of our homes, however, we are capable of conducting life and light during even the most difficult times.  If you’re not familiar with my personal story, know that I don’t write this out of a simple overflow of optimism.  My family’s story includes adopting a teenager out of trauma, little ones in the hospital and ICU, a husband who travels, solo parenting for months at a time, miscarriages, difficult pregnancies and the deep loneliness of parenting many small ones in the absence of a strong support system.  

For all of us these days, home has become the epicenter of life in an even more tangible, immediate way.  While most of our choices have been stripped away, the determination of how we carry on is – always – still ours.  How we lean into this moment and navigate within the limitations of circumstance.  How we grieve the normal we’ve lost, yet find ways to breathe in faith and pour out wonder and worship for those entrusted to our care.  How we draw near to the Savior and rest in his peace. 

Which leads me to homeschooling.

Because, with the kids home all day and so many parents also attempting to juggle school and their full time jobs… it’s a LOT.  I’ve been thinking about how to help – what practices as a classroom teacher and which as a homeschool mom might lend a hand and help you create beauty (and PEACE! Peace that doesn’t involve hiding in the bathroom!) during these highly unusual days.  

Give yourself grace

I have to start here.  The pressures being put on parents right now are extreme – and it’s okay to acknowledge them as such.  Overnight, you went from working 40 hours a week, the kids at school 8 hours a day, to trying to merge both of those full-time activities into a single day in the single space of your home.  In between the constant meals, dishes, toys and ever-mounting piles of laundry.  Here’s the truth: You cannot be a full-time employee, a business owner, a homeschooling mom, a parent, a wife, and complete all the necessary maintenance of life at the same time.  There are only 24 hours in a day – and you don’t get to be active during all of them.  In the absence of help, you must prioritize.  It won’t be a perfect balance, certainly not in the midst of figuring it all out.  It’s going to have to be okay to put boundaries – and oh that’s HARD – around parts of your day and say “no” more than you’re used to.  It’s okay that it isn’t all coming together – that part takes time. And, counter-intuitive as it seems, you’re going to have to find places to feed your own soul as well.  Because this is stressful, new, and in small steps, you’re working toward something that sustains for the long haul.  There is NO failure here, sister. Grace is the only name of this game.  

Become a relentless noticer

All day long, children are giving us clues through their behavior.  Becoming familiar with their cues and being able to anticipate their needs and struggles is one of the secrets to homeschooling peace.  Become the mom who smells the fight brewing, and gently intervenes before siblings come to verbal blows.  Observe the clenched fists as the storm over math gathers, and jump in with a back rub and a word of encouragement.  If they dig their feet in, perhaps they need a choice and some control over their own learning.  Even in a classroom with hundreds of students, our goal as educators is to develop each individual as he or she was created to be. Quietly and calmly, through observation and with great compassion, we must understand our children, how they function best, and where they are in their unique process of learning.  This allows us to encourage and equip them for the next step of growth.

Order the environment, not the child

As much as we seek to build positive habits, much of the success or frustration of a homeschool day is borne out of the environments we create for our children.  You do not have to recreate how they did things at school inside your home.  This means that you have tremendous freedom to set a rhythm that works for your family, right now.  Maybe your kids work best right after breakfast (mine often do!).  Set aside that first hour and spend some time working through your hardest subject.  Or perhaps it’s the opposite – they need time to ease into things and aren’t ready to tackle the “hard stuff” until later in the day.  You are not obligated to sit down and knock out four hours of school at one time, so spread your subjects out and allow kids time to play in between.  A few basic suggestions about ordering their environment:

  1. Quit while you’re ahead.  If they work diligently for 15-30 minutes, let it be enough instead of pushing through to the point of frustration and tears.  You don’t have the positive peer pressure of the classroom to help keep them engaged, so working 20 minutes in the morning and 20 in the afternoon is much better than losing an hour to tears. 
  2. Consider the sequence of their studies, alternating “heavy” concentration or difficulty lessons with lighter ones. If your child struggles with reading and math, putting those back to back is sure to engender frustration.
  3. Use different parts of the brain.  Reading for language arts, then for science, then for social studies is still reading.  This activates only one part of the brain, causing us to feel fatigued.  Instead, throw in a little writing, working with flash cards or manipulatives, or examining a piece of artwork and talking about it.  Another good suggestion is to separate subjects with a brain break, dance party or play.
  4. FEED THE PEOPLE.  I can’t emphasize enough how managing basic needs – and especially hunger – is critical to the success of our day.  If they’re getting crabby or melty, a good bet is that it’s time for a snack.  Homeschoolers are basically Hobbits.  Plan accordingly.

The power of practice

We all need a little more Anna during difficult and uncertain times.  (C’mon, you know you’ve watched it during quarentine!  Sing with me!) All we really need is to be ready to do the next right thing.  At the beginning of a school year, teachers spend the whole first month practicing the rhythms, routines and habits their class and all its students will fall back on for the rest of the year.  Academics are happening, but the heavy emphasis is on practice and routineWhere to put your backpack. When to sit in the circle for story time.  How to hand in your math worksheet and put away the manipulatives.  

Mamas, we musn’t underestimate the power of this orienting step!  Yes, they are our children in our home, but this lifestyle is new to everyone.  Invest in developing habits that move your unique day forward, in all its particular limitations, and then practice them.  If something is amiss, take time to evaluate it.  You probably do not need a complete overhaul.  Implementing small, do-able changes is usually enough to rescue a difficult situation.  And after that?  Well… it’s just a matter of finding the next right thing.

This is a stretching time, to be sure.  Stepping forward into an uncertain future always feels that way.  Our culture invites us into a time of deep anxiety and fear, but our homes don’t have to reflect it.  You are equipped to educate your children at home!  And you know what else?  The odds are good that you’re already doing a great job.

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Quarantine Spring Resources

Hey there, friends!

How are things in your part of the world?  Are you feeling the dystopian-novel version of events, or is it pretty much business as usual?

I have had the flu (don’t worry, it’s the old-fashioned, influenza variety – still no fun, to be sure!), so with my husband off work and all our activities canceled due to Corona shut down, we have basically pushed a great big PAUSE on our regularly scheduled life.

There are a few things bringing me joy today, so I thought I’d go ahead and share them with you as we begin a new week.

Montessori Spring Mega Bundle – You guys, so many talented mamas have teamed up to bring this amazing collection to life!  Over $400 worth of spring and garden-themed work, primarily for early elementary school students, all available for only $19.  I can’t wait to get well and dive into this as our CC year comes to a close!

This awesome easel, three ways: 

Amazon has it 3 for $20 at the link above.  If you have one nearby, I hear that both Five Below and Target have them for only $5 each!  That’s an awesome price!  We pair ours with canvases from the dollar store, but of course Amazon has lots of great options as well, if you’re staying home bound.

Art for Kids – A super adorable YouTube channel which offers drawing lessons by a wonderfully enthusiastic dad and his adorable kids.  We are NOT artists by any stretch of the imagination, so these fun tutorials are a great way to break up the afternoon doldrums.

Free Language Arts resources from IEW – We have truly loved our experience with the Institute for Excellecnce in Writing, and I will definitely be taking advantage of these free resources.

Librivox and Hoopla – Many people don’t know about these fantastic free audiobook resources.  Librivox is a a collection of books in the public domain, while Hoopla requires nothing more than a participating library card number.  My homeschooling would NOT be what it is without these free resources.

National Number Knockout – One of our favorite math games in which students use 3 numbers chosen by dice in any combination to create equations that “knock out” all the numbers (we usually use 1-25) on a board.  Also known as “Board Slam.”  Super fun to see their creative ways to manipulate numbers!

Storynory – Audio stories and dramas from around the world.  We adore the narrator.

This Collection from Julia Rothman – Which we use constantly.  It lines up perfectly with our CC Science memory work (Nature Anatomy) and provides endless inspiration for everything from nature study to gardening.  A fantastic resource as the weather begins to warm.  Plus, the illustrations are amazing.

Make Writing Fun – A free 7 day writing challenge from Brave Writer that encourages kids to use language in fun and original ways.  A great way to break up standard lined-paper and pencil activities. 

Handcrafts – The timing couldn’t be better for this book, to be released on March 24th!  32 activities to build confidence, creativity, and skill from Ainsley Arment, founder of Wild & Free.  

I would never wish to minimize the struggles being faced by so many around the world.  In the face of so many new limitations, though, it is still within our power to craft a life of beauty  inside the boundaries of our new normal. 

“The real things haven’t changed. It is still best to be honest and truthful; to make the most of what we have; to be happy with simple pleasures; and have courage when things go wrong.”

 – Laura Ingalls Wilder

Take courage, my friends!  Let me know if I can be of help!

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On Patience and Homeschooling

“Homeschool? I could never do that.  I don’t have the patience to homeschool!”

It’s one of the most common refrains we hear in answering that simple (tricky) question about where our kids go to school. 

But can I tell you a trade secret?

We get it.  Like, deep down in our bones.  Because truthfully?  We don’t have the patience either! 

We didn’t choose this life because of our saintly desire to be long-suffering.  We started with a little dream, a lot of love, even more mistakes and absolutely NO EARTHLY CLUE what we were doing.  

And day by day, something amazing happened.  Our capacity to be what was needed grew, one answered question and gentle response at a time.

I love this quote from my girl Charlotte Mason:

It wasn’t (isn’t!) always pretty.  Capacity is built on a simple foundation of coming back. Through success and after we try something that bombs spectacularly, again and again, with grace and wisdom and courageous failure, confident that each particular failure brings us that much closer to doing it a little better. 

I have received so many messages from my friends who are struggling right now because they did not wish homeschooling to be a part of their story.  Above all else, I hope you will believe in the courage of your own capacity, your own ability to lean in and live beautifully right now, in the midst of your one wild and precious life. 

You don’t have the patience to homeschool.  But you will find it now that you must. 

And girl, we are rooting for you.  

What help, advice, inspiration or solidarity do YOU need to get through the day?  Drop a comment below.  We’re all in this together!

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