Our Curriculum

Here is our basic curriculum..

Number
Number for us is all fun & games! We like to play a counting/jumping game with a large wooden dice. The girls throw the dice, the E counts the 'score' (with a little help from R!) then they both jump that amount of times. Lots of fun :)
We also have a Hundred Board. The girls have numbered counters, which E matches to the appropriate numbers on the board, & R pours onto the floor! I intend to use this board for skip counting at a later date.
Another fun manipulative, are our Geoboards. No formal instruction here, just lots of fun & creative exploration.
Last week we recieved two new maths manipulatives, which we havent tried yet. Cuisenaire Rods Read about Cuisenaire Rods Here.
Also we recieved Colour Tiles. They offer a wealth of activities to help learn pattern recognition, counting, place value, number facts, estimation, probability, geometry, and measurement.
We also use board games, dominos, beans etc etc. No workbook at the momment, just fun activities in real life.

For our book basket, we have some number stories..

Georges Store On The Seashore
One Hundred Hungry Ants
Math For All Seasons

Language Arts

E has her own Copywork Notebook, which is a treasured record of her developing writing skills. We begin each morning, by choosing a Sandpaper Letter, which E then traces with her finger. When she is happy with that, we move on to tracing in the salt box (which, as its name implies, is a box, filled with salt!) Then she can move on to copying the chosen letter (we call it 'sound') into her copywork notebook. She is required to copy 6 neat letters before we move on. Sometimes E illustrates her letter with pictures or stickers. Sometimes we glue a piece of string in the shape of the letter, or pasta, or crafty bits & bobs, you get the picture!
Throughout the day, we play 'I spy' & naming the sound that words begin with. We keep it fun!
We read LOTS of books. I have chosen Bob Books as our readers, but have only glanced at them, as yet.

Bible Study

A BIG part of our curriculum.
We use Leading Little Ones To God for our morning devotions. I would highly reccomend this book. It is beautifully written, each day expounding a truth about The Lord. we read snuggled up on the sofa, then pray & sing a hymn or Christian song.
For Bible study, we are working through the Bible, picking up on major stories & themes. We use the NIV (ours is pink!) & also the Day by Day Kids Bible.
I begin by asking E some questions about what we are about to read...then we read the scripture, & discuss it as necessary. A great tool I have found in teaching Bible is 1001 ways to introduce your child to the Bible. It has lots of songs, crafts, games & activities to help your child to remember & learn. a must-have!

An excellent 'method' or explaination of thorough Bible study can be found here atHeart Of Wisdom
this is a great site for maps, timlines & articles.
As well as our concordance, Bible atlas & dictionary, we find these books useful, too.

The kregel Pictoral Guide To The Story Of The Bible

The Kregel Pictoral Guide To The Bible

What the Bible Is All About For Young Explorers

Our Homeschool

This was our first 'official' week of homeschooling! What a wonderful, wonderful week it has been. Here is a little bit all about our rhythms & routines.



Our Day

Morning

Everyone up
Nurse R
We all shower/wash & dress
Family devotions
Breakfast
Clear up from breakfast
Chores
My bible time/ Littlies watch a dvd.

School!

Number
Copywork
Bible

Mid-day

Lunch
Clear up from lunch
Read aloud time

Afternoon

R's nap time/ Quiet time for myself & E

Outdoor play/crafts

Tea time
Clear away tea

Evening

Bathtime
Story/ E often goes on the computer with her daddy.
Bedtime


OUR WEEK

our week tends to have a rhythm, too. Certain activities on certain days.

Monday R visits her granparents in the morning.
Tuesday Library day
Wednesday Tea & Crafts (I will write more about this, later)
Thursday E visits her grandparents in the afternoon.
Friday: Nature day! Our whole morning is taken up with nature study. Our favourite
day ;)

SEASONS

We have always had an interest in following the seasons...I intend to follow that more closely with our learning...more 'real life' if you will.

Here is a short, but interesting artice about rhythm from www.waldorfhomeschoolers.com

Daily Rhythms

Rhythm

Having a daily rhythm does not mean following the clock. "Rhythm and human life cannot be separated. Plants, animals and human beings all reveal rhythmical qualities in form, movement and growth patterns. Humankind moves through life embraced by great, rhythmical "tides" - the cosmic pulling of the planets, nature's rhythms of day, night and seasons and the biological rhythm of heart and lungs." (Quote taken from Natural Childhood: The First Practical Holistic Guide for Parents of the Developing Child. We highly recommend this outstanding book for a deeper understanding of rhythm and a fully "Waldorf" childhood.

"Rhythm" is not the same as "Schedule"

It is important to understand that "rhythms" are not really like schedules and/or time tables... but more like the flow of the way the day begins, continues, closes, etc... If your rhythm at dinner is to set the table, light a candle, say a blessing and eat the meal, then if it's at 5:00 one night and then at 6:30 the next night because daddy is running late or the beans aren't cooked, but you still follow the pattern of setting the table, lighting the candle, saying the blessing and eating... then you DO have a rhythm.

It happens like the tide, in a more natural way as opposed to watching he clock and the race against time, which I feel causes unnecessary stress, pressure, and so forth. I think as a home schooling parent... THIS is one of the biggest issues of school for me. This lesson from 9:45 through 10:30 then break and go on to that lesson from 10:45 through lunch.... meanwhile, it seems that it breaks up JUST when the creative energy and/or inspiration begins to flow!!!

It is likely that you already have plenty of rhythms set in place and are just scared away by the term itself, or how it was presented to you... Just think of your daily chores, work, necessary things you do (brushing teeth, getting ready for bed, etc...) I am sure that with a bit of conscious observation, you'll discover many rhythms already set in place at your home!

Seasonal Rhythm

January brings the snow
Makes our feet and fingers glow.
February brings the rain
Thaws the frozen lake again.
March brings breezes, loud and shrill,
Stirs the dancing daffodil.
April brings the primrose sweet,
Scatters daisies at our feet.
May brings flocks of pretty lambs,
Skipping by their fleecy dams.
June brings tulips, lilies, roses,
Fills the children's hands with posies.
Hot July brings cool showers,
Strawberries and gillyflowers.
August brings the sheaves of corn,
Then the harvest home is borne.
Warm September brings the fruit,
Sportsmen then begin to shoot.
Fresh October brings a pheasant,
Then to gather nuts is pleasant.
Dull November brings the blast;
Then the leaves are whirling fast.
Chill December brings the sleet,
Blazing fire and Christmas treat.

Benefits of Keeping the Rhythm

Sense of Security
Builds Confidence
Understand Boundaries
Balances Energies
Familiarity
Sufficient Rest
Strengthens the Will
Teaches Self Discipline
Seasonal Awareness
Understands Nature's Cycles
Understanding the Normalcy of Birth & Death