Learning the alphabet with clothes pegs

Here is a great idea I picked up from Jamin's blog
All you need is a large plastic coat hanger (the sort from the dry cleaner's is perfect) & wooden clothes pegs. Now, we all know how much littlies just love to peg things, dont we! LOL!
I put the upper case letters at the top of the peg and lower case letters at the bottom.
On the back I numbered them 1-26 . Once they are all clipped on, turn the hanger over and see if all the numbers are in order. So it's self checking! Brilliant :)

Book of The Week

We will be continuing with our tiger study for another week, then the following week will be Halloween, so we will be reading Pumpkin Pumpkin

How to keep the Pre-School Crowd Happy!

I love reading other people's blogs. I love to hear how other mum's entertain their little ones, whilst schooling the elder ones. Some have special toys for the purpose, some keep the 'main stuff' for nap times, some involve the pre-school crowd as much as they can.
I however, believe I have found the ultimate answer to this oft-discussed topic.
Worms.
Yes, worms!
Take one little girl & an empty Ice cream box. fill with earth & a few worms. Position at the table, with a tray to catch any spilled dirt, or runaway worms & there you have it: PEACE! LOL! For a whole hour! & even then, it was I who decided we had to end this wonderful activity (we had to go somewhere)
Next time I will snap a picture ;)

Planning our Week

Each wednesday, I sit down in the evening, & begin to make plans for the next week. I have this list printed off in my notebook to jog my memory, & remind me what I need to be thinking about. Looking at it all here, it looks such a lot to think about & do. Firstly, we by no means achieve it all! & secondly, some of the things, such as planning circle time, are not done each week. (Circle time stays the same for approximately 6 weeks)
So, here is my list of what I do to plan out our week. It is a good plan, it keeps me focused & is flexible :)

Of note;
check calender, places to go, festivals, seasonal changes, special days
ant field trip opps?

Buckets
Tidy school buckets
Re-fill quiet time buckets
Puzzle/Bible/Books/animals/

Library
Collect all books to return
List books to look for/order/collect
List music to look for/order/collect

Nature Table
update

Circle Time
Scripture/Poem/Facts/Hymn/Memory Work/Dolch Words

R's Learning
Chose workbook/sheets
Letter/number/shape for learning poster
Print out template for letter of the week
Plan ‘lapbook page’ for the week
print all relevant pages to go in Rosie’s book
Chose a character trait for the week (tie in with letter of the week)
mark in Bible & find story in Rosie’s story Bible
Check ‘1001 ways to introduce your child to the Bible’ & internet for related activities, songs, etc

Book of the Week
Choose weekly book
Plan daily activities to go with book of the week

Faith
Review goals sheets
-List daily readings
-survey my primary liturgical idea books - whether it be teaching ideas for the readings, or activities for an upcoming feast day.
-Make photocopies / printouts for the week ahead.
-check favorite online sources
-pull together a general plan for the week:
-What will we read?
-What will we do?
-What theme(s) will shape our week?
-Plan Faith-at-Home tea

Language Arts
Review goals sheets
Read alouds:
Choose chapter book
choose other books to compliment studies
make library list

Copywork
E-print out each days CW
R-print reading readiness sheets from donnayoung.org R is only three years old, but she so dearly wants to learn to read & write! we keep her happy with her own sheets to 'write' on & her own 'reading lesson' - reading from her story bible with mummy!
Lift out sandpaper letter
Kumon sheets

Phonics/reading
Plan phonics rule (trick) or family to introduce
Read up in ABC’s & All Their Tricks
Any sight words to introduce?
Choose easy readers/living books
Prep games/activities/road blocks for E & R
Lift sandpaper letter for R

Maths
Review goals sheets
choose topics of study for the month.
Read up on topics
List games, prep sheets, pull Kumon books etc
Choose math stories & games
Memory work for circle time?

Science / Nature Study
Review goals sheets
+Plan from ‘spine’
+Work from unit study plan.
Look up current topic, area of interest in ‘keeping a nature journal’
Look up intro pages in HBNS on current topic
Read intro to topic
Read the small section that pertain to that object or creature.
Write in the book as you go along to highlight the information that I want to share with E & R.
Take a few minutes and share those points and then help E & R make a nature journal entry using those points.
If you want to make a more in depth study, turn to the end of the section and use the suggested activities or just pick out one or two items to try.
Go through personal library and check for reference items on the subject of the study.
When you come indoors from your nature time, pull it out and turn to the index to see if something you saw that day is covered in the book.
Memory work for circle time?

Artist Study
Look on list for next artist
Look up art activity in ‘discovering the great artists’
Choose prints to study (inc one suitable for above activity)
Order books
Choose 5-6 pertinent facts
Print off any needed artwork
Pick up any supplies needed
Plan ‘artist tea’s’

Composer Study
look on list for next composer
order CD
download to MAC
Make playlist
Check if included in ‘spiritual lives’
Order any needed books
Write up pieces chosen
BOC

D is for Dinosaur

Our preschool week. R is so keen to keep up with her big sister, that i decided to do some 'preschool' with her. She has her own notebook, the kind with a clear plastic pocket on the front. R is very proud of her book, it has her name printed on the front & a photograph of herself, too :)

We are working our way through the alphabet, one letter per week. We also have a number of the week & either a shape or colour of the week. This all goes on R's learning poster, which is displayed on our living room wall. (this idea is adapted from the learning poster atLetter of the Week Next week will be 'd' week, with 3 & diamonds being our number & shapes of the week.

Not all the activities are pre-school level; some of the activities are for my older daughter.

Here are our planned activites
a 'd' template (we only use the lowercase) to cut out & mount on cardstock. R will use a cork from an old wine bottle to decorate the cardsock with printed 'dots'
We will be reading lots of dinosaur books, including this one
a dinosaur colouring page
A dinosaur bone hunt. I have made some cardstock 'bones' for the kids to hunt (I plan to hide them in the garden if the weather is fine.
Sort all the diamonds from a pack of playing cards
Make diamonds on our geoboards
Draw diagonal lines
Letter sort: d's from b's : print onto cardstock, cut into squares & fix to straws. Sort into 2 different cups (labeled 'd' & 'b')
Adding 'd' pictures to R's ABC notebook (dog, duck, etc)

Food: Dinosaur Dinner:
dinosaur legs (chicken drumsticks)
dinosaur eggs (peas)
Rocks & trees (chopped potatoes & broccoli)

Dinosaur poo! (mars bar cakes)

Veggies & Dip

Bible: We are reading through this book:


Philippians 2:14:
Do all things without murmurings and disputings

What's a homeschool mum to do....

...when she finds a rather large frog in the middle of the road, whilst driving to her mother in law's house at gone 7pm at night?
Why, put him in her handbag, of course, bring him home & get the eldest child out of bed to see him:

We spent a happy hour with afore mentioned frog. He in a bug jar, complete with an inch of pond water & a rock to sit on, us girls with our nature journals & pencils. He has now been released into our garden pond, although was last sighted, dancing in the rain on our lawn :)
(please excuse the terrible photo!)


Identification
Tailless amphibian - Smooth skin

Tends to jump not walk

Horizontal ovoid pupil

Dorsal surface and flanks, Very variable in colour, typically yellowish brown, brown but may be olive green coloured and some individuals have a reddish or yellow appearance. Variably spotted or striped.

Ventral surface, Males, dirty white or pale yellow, speckled with grey or brown; females pale yellow to orange

The most consistent markings are the dark patch behind the eye and the strong barring on the hind limbs.

Length: 6 - 9 cm

Rainy Day's

Rainy Days

The weather is never disagreeable, only our attitude towards it!

Psalm 147
Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God:
Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.
Things to do:
Dress up in waterproofs & go puddle dancing!
Play dressing up
Use play silks & blankets to make houses, tents etc
Build a train or bus with chairs
Play pirates on the sofa (the floor is the ocean)
Have crumpets for afternoon tea, cuddle up & read stories
Open the rainy day box.....
*
Blank scrapbooks, Glue, Sellotape, Scissors, Pencils/Pens, Old Christmas cards, Magazines, calendars & catalogues for cutting up. Pretty papers, Stickers, Fabrics, Buttons, Beads for stringing, String, Pipe Cleaners, Lolly sticks, Natural materials: Pinecones, Feathers, small twigs, Seed heads &Shells, Pie dishes, Egg boxes & Envelopes.
The Rainy Day box is kept only for such days. It’s magic is soon lost if brought out at other occasions.

Read:
Mushroom in the Rain by Mirra Ginsberg,
A Drop Around the World by Barbara McKinney,
Rain by Marion Dane Bauer.

For Rainbow Days:
A Rainbow of My Own by Don Freeman,Rainbow and You by Edwin C. Krupp and Robin Rector Krupp
For Thundery Days:
Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco