Advent Season

Every year we do something a little different for Advent. 

One year we made a wreath out of fresh greenery and placed the traditional three purple, one pink and one white candles to be lit each Sunday of Advent along with a Bible verse that corresponded.

This year we made an Advent banner, courtesy of this lovely blog:

http://www.confessionsofahomeschooler.com/blog/2012/11/free-printable-advent-ornaments.html

I printed out the triangles and wrote an activity on the back of each one.  Things like 'write a note of apprectiation to someone in our family' or 'have a movie night of Polar Express with cocoa and popcorn' and 'Make gingerbread houses'.  Also I downloaded some corny Christmas riddles for the kids, cut them out and taped one on the back of each triangle.

I paper-clipped each triangle onto a length of shiny ribbon and hung it across the fireplace mantle.

Some other ideas for each day are:

Study different countries and their celebrations at Christmastime.
Learn about St. Nicholas and leave a shoe out for him to fill on St. Nicholas' Day.
Do a random act of kindness for a stranger.
Make snowflakes out of paper.
Make salt dough ornaments.
Learn a new Christmas song to play on the piano.
Make Christmas cookies.
Read all our favorite Christmas stories.

Simple, inexpensive fun.


How about you all? Do you celebrate Advent?  And how do you celebrate?

Valentine's Day Unit

You all know I love a holiday.  There's just so many ways to make school fun.

Here's our Valentine's Day unit study, topic by topic:

Language Arts:  Studying sonnets and iambic pentameter.  We will read "My Mistresses Eyes Are Nothing Like the Sun" by Shakespeare and use this as a study guide  http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/discovering-traditional-sonnet-forms-830.html?tab=4#tabs  Then we will try our hand at writing our own sonnets!

Math:  Here's a logic puzzle for Valentines Day  http://www.edhelper.com/Valentines_Day_Logic70.htm

Another activity...cut out a paper heart.  Then ask the children- how can you make a heart out of circles and triangles?  Find the area of each circle and each triangle and determine the area of your heart!

Science:  Make heart crystal ornaments  http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/explore/crystals.htm

Study how chocolate is made and the effects it has on the brain   http://www.exploratorium.edu/exploring/exploring_chocolate/index.html

History:  Study the history of chocolate  http://www.exploratorium.edu/exploring/exploring_chocolate/choc_2.html#american

and here
http://www.history.com/shows/modern-marvels/videos/modern-marvels-valentines-day---history-of-chocolate#modern-marvels-valentines-day---history-of-chocolate


Also we will read the biography of Elizabeth Barrett Browning and read her poem "How Do I Love Thee?"

I hope you all have fun with teaching Valentine's themed topics! If you have any interesting ideas of your own...please share!

Conversation Hearts Aren't Just For Conversations

I can't tell you how many boxes of these my kids get every year...and how many get thrown out.  Aside from the yellow ones, I really don't care to eat them either!

But you can use them for school fun...

Like arranging them in order to make silly sentences!

Give each kid a box and have them graph the different colors.  Then have them work on mean, median and mode.

For younger kids, use them as a unit of measure.  Draw a large heart shape and have them glue the hearts around the edge of the heart to determine perimeter.  Then fill in the shape and determine area.

Count how many nouns, pronouns, verbs, prepositions there are on all the hearts in the box.

How about you?  Do you have any fun, crafty ideas for those chalky little hearts? Or do you like to eat them?

Valentines Day

I love Valentine's Day! (No pun intended...)

One of the things I loved when I was a kid was the Valentine party at school.  We all made our own little mail boxes for the Valentines we may OR may NOT get...remember those days?  When you only gave Valentines to the people you liked?  Made for a much more interesting event than today, when everyone is giving everyone else a Valentine, simply because to not do so would apparently send someone to the therapist's couch in later years. 

And remember when the Valentines had actual little white envelopes to put the Valentines in?  I must have been a slightly weird kid, because I thought those little white envelopes are what made the Valentine.  It was like getting actual mail.  I've always loved getting actual mail.

So here we are ,homeschoolers.  But guess what?  We have been invited to  more Valentines parties than you can shake a stick at!  And my girl has constructed the cutest ever Valentine box and is filling out two boxes of little cards.  And we have already made red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting because doggone it....Valentines day is right around the corner and what better way to celebrate?

So my question to you is this:  What are some special things you do for your family on Valentines Day?  Do you fix a special meal?  Do you have something special for the kids?  I'll admit, the older the kids get, the more difficult this is. 

What are your family traditions when it comes to Valentines Day?

Chinese New Year Unit Study

I don't know about you, but I love when there is a holiday!  So many ways to make school fun and interesting when there is a special day of celebration.  Monday will be Chinese New Year and we have a few fun activities planned. 

Reading this book will be a great starting point:

 It has so many interesting bits of information about the holiday and explanations of each custom.

Then, because it is also Math Fun Monday, we will read this:

Yes, it is actually set in India, but it is all about rice.  We will use a graph to graph the amounts of rice the main character accumulates throughout the story, and then predict how much will be accumulated at the end. 

There are some fun Chinese New Year lesson plans here:
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/activity/china-global-trek-activity

We will study all things China- pandas, art and architecture, government and more.

Making Chinese yo-yo's from here:
http://www.makingfriends.com/yoyo.htm

And if I am feeling froggy...we will attempt a dragon puppet from here: http://www.thatartistwoman.org/2009/01/how-to-make-chinese-dragon-puppet.html

And of course we will feast on some Chinese food courtesy of our favorite local Chinese restaurant.

What about you?  Any special plans for Chinese New Year?

My Hope For the New Year

Found this poem and it made me think of the coming of the new year and all I hope it brings.  Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

"Ring Out, Wild Bells"

 

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light;
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind,
For those that here we see no more,
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.

Ring out the want, the care the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes,
But ring the fuller minstrel in.

Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.

Ring out old shapes of foul disease,
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.

Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.

~Alfred, Lord Tennyson

New Years Resolutions: Homeschool Style

I am a list maker.  You should see me prepare to go grocery shopping...I make a list of the menus for the next 2 weeks.  Then I make a list of the items needed for those menus.  Then I make a list of the items I need in addition to those other menu items.  Then I write a Master List of everything in the order in which I find it in the grocery store.

Anal retentive much?

New Years is a great time for list makers.  I get to make a list in hopes that THIS year...*THIS* year I get it right.  Never hurts to remain positive, right?

Hence, my homeschooling New Years resolutions:

1.  Cut down on 'time clutter'.  Time clutter being anything that takes up our time when it is not something we love. 

2.  More field trips.  At least once a month, there will be a field trip somewhere.

3.  Less 'socializing'.  Okay..that sounds bad, I know.  But honestly, the first year or two we homeschooled I was constantly out with the kids somewhere socializing...mainly to prove to everyone (and myself) that homeschoolers ARE socialized!  Look how many opportunities there are to be social!  Now I am like...meh.  Been there, done that.  We need to focus more on school.

4.  More independent learning. 

5.  More hands on activities.  The first part of this year seemed so busy that we never got around to the fun stuff...and that's one of the main reasons I wanted to homeschool in the first place.  I don't want my children's education coming solely from books...I want it to be relative, to have meaning. 

6.  More fine arts.  My kids loved when we learned one composer and one artist a month.  When times get crazy, of course those are the things that are first to go.  But to me they are part of a well rounded education.  So...more of that please!

7.  More handwriting practice.  I admit...my kids have lousy handwriting.  This year I want to focus on that.

8.  More educational games. 

9.  Organization.  This is more for me than my kids.  When life gets hectic...I get sloppy.

10.  More handwritten letters...thank you cards, pen pals, letters to grandma and grandpa.  It's becoming a lost art.


What about you?  Are you looking to re-vamp your homeschooling in 2012?

My Dear John Letter to Christmas

Christmas...it's over. Between you and me...over.

As much as I love you, by the time it's done on the 25th...I'm done with you too.

Christmas and I, we have a mutual understanding.  When the love is gone,  we feel no need to linger on in a lovers' charade.  Just leave.  

Yes, the cookies were grand.  Ahhhh, those sprinkles.  And the lights...the LIGHTS.  Yes, yes....the packages and bows, lets us not forget those.  And all that mistletoe....

Where was I?  Yes, yes...Christmas.  It's time for you to go. 

So long.  I'll miss you in about 10 more months.  And when I do....I will be all yours again. No questions asked. No strings. I promise I'll still get all tingly when I hear you call me with your jingle bells.

With warmest regards,

The Accidental Homeschooler

P.S. Oh, and one last thing...any rumors you heard about me and Spring?  Not true.  Not at all.  ;P

A Victorian Christmas

We have two unit studies that are our focus for December, "The Gift of the Magi" and "A Christmas Carol".  Both are set in roughly the same time period, so I also found it appropriate to delve into the customs and traditions of that period...the Victorian Era.

One tradition is making all of our Christmas ornaments this year. Yes, I have boxes of store bought ornaments in the attic...but I thought it would be fun to make them all by hand this year.

Aside from popcorn and cranberry garland, we have lots of plans for inexpensive and easy to make ornaments.  Yesterday we made these little gems...

 I know lots of people make these, but this was our first attempt at applesauce-cinnamon ornaments.

Just mix equal parts cinnamon and applesauce (we threw in a little nutmeg too) and make a 'clay'.  Cut out with cookie cutters and place on a baking sheet.  Bake in a 175 degree oven for 2 hours.  When they are completely dried out, remove from pan and decorate.  Obviously we love glitter in this house.

 They look and smell just like gingerbread...

 Aren't they precious?

 OOooooh....shiny!

I thought these would make nice gifts for the grandparents as well.

If you have never tried to make these...do it!  I got bottles of cinnamon for .50 cents each at Wal Mart.  Each child had two bottles of cinnamon and one cup (and maybe an extra tablespoon) of applesauce and it made plenty.

And your house will smell heavenly the rest of the day.

Holiday Shopping: Kickin' It Homeschool Style

Is it just me or is it difficult shopping for your kids for Christmas? 

I think it got harder when we started homeschooling.

When my kids were in public school, it was easy because they wanted stuff that all their friends had...
Barbies, Hot Wheels racetracks, etc.

Now....it starts getting weird.

Architecture sets.  Fossils.  Plasma globes.  Electronic ciruit sets.  Solar powered stuff.   Anything related to historic events.  Geography games.

I love it!  But then...it's not exactly like you can run to Wal Mart or Toys R Us and get these things.  In fact, you start looking at all the junk they sell in stores and see it as...junk.

I love my Rainbow Resource catalogue. It's full of items that will appease my little nerdlings.  That and Amazon.com.  You can find *anything* there.

How about you?   Do your kids want random, hard to find items?  What resources do you use to purchase them?

***Forgot to mention Mindware http://www.mindware.com/Home/HomePage.aspx?SG=PMDG1&gclid=CPvz3dnomqwCFQLj7QodXB9VLg  They have some cool stuff as well!****

Halloween Themed Unit #3- The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Really...I could go on and on with all the ideas for spooky literature units!  One month is not long enough to cover them all.  I guess that leaves me fodder for next year.

We have comprehension questions from here:  http://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/legend-sleepy-hollow#sect-activities 

We will do an author study on Washington Irving.

We will also have vocabulary words taken from the story, compare and contrast of characters,  and our art will be a chalk sketch on black paper of  the headless horseman or a scene from the story.

For science will talk about the head and neck and the nervous system. I have found some cute crafty ideas here:  http://thecraftyclassroom.com/blog/2011/10/09/science-activities-the-brain  and here:  http://teachhealthk-12.uthscsa.edu/curriculum/brain/brain01b-BrainCap.asp   LOVE the brain hats.  And the egg carton spinal column! And we have some fun brain, memory and reflex activites here :  http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/chmemory.html and here: http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/experi.html

As a finale, Netflix has a version of this story on film that is not to scary.  Popcorn and movies always make a fun day of school. :)

I am glad to report our Tell Tale Heart unit went swimmingly well!  We concluded our study with a videotaped 'interview' of the madman from the story (my son) by a news anchor (my daughter).  We watched it on TV when daddy came home and it was quite entertaining, to say the least!

I hope to continue the literature units after the holidays as well.  This has been so much fun for all of us, and we have learned so much along the way.  Any suggestions of novels that would be a good fit for a unit study?

Next up: ' The Highwayman'  by Alfred Noyes.  I can't wait!

Fall Apples

Chalk pastel fall apples...

Fall Festival or Trick or Treat?

Okay...so I am old fashioned.  I love to hang out my laundry on a sunny day.  I love to bake bread and cut my own grass and think children should be seen and not heard.  (Just kidding on the last one!)

Can I just vent a little about the ever growing trend of "Fall Festivals"?  Or Trunk or Treat, or what ever you want to call it. 

Fall Festivals are ruining trick or treating for the rest of us.  I fail to see the logic of  "Oh, well, we will have this Fall Festival for a Christian alternative to trick or treating!"  I mean...let's face it.  Trick or treating ain't about nothing except the candy.  And the fun of running around your neighborhood in the dark while dressed like someone else.  Unless you routinely run around your neighborhood dressed like someone else, in the dark....but hey, more power to ya. ;) 

Fall Festivals are taking the kids out of their community on a night that usually brings a community together.  It takes the moms and dads that usually hand out the candy out of the community.

And trunk or treat has NO appeal to me what so ever.  Really-I could walk my kids down the candy aisle at Wal Mart and have the same experience.  There's no heart in it.  No excitement.  I mean, yeah, lots of candy, but....it's not the same.

It's kind of like the way houses have changed...used to be every house had a front porch.  That was the 'social media' back in the day.  You saw your neighbors, your neighbors kids, the mailman, all while sitting on the front porch.  You waved to people you saw on the street.  They would stop to chat.  You got to know the people that lived and worked and played around you.

Then houses started losing the front porch in favor of the back patio. Where you don't have to look at or wave at anyone.  You can be cocooned  away from your neighbors and community.  Why did we do that? 

As for me and my crew....we will trick or treat.  Even if only five families are home that night.  Even if we get ten pieces of candy.

Because I think I had it all wrong when I said trick or treating is all about the candy.

Halloween Menu: Monster Eyes and Witch Fingers

Monster Eyes:

Jumbo shell pasta, boiled according to package
ricotta cheese
meatballs
marinara
sliced black olives

Pour 1/4 c sauce into bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.  Arrange the shell pasta in the pan.  Fill each with 1tsp ricotta, then stuff with 1 meatball in each, topping each meatball with an olive slice.  Pour marinara over all, cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees until heated through.

Witch Fingers

Canned breadstick dough
sliced almonds
green food color
parmesan cheese and garlic salt

Cut each strip of dough into 'finger' sized strips.  Twist until knobby and lay on prepared sheet pan.  Press one almond slice on the tip of each 'finger', then brush the almond with green food color mixed with a tad bit of water.  Sprinkle with garlic and cheese and bake according to directions on breadstick package.

Great for sopping up the monster blood.  :P

Priceless Father's Day Gift

If you are like me (broke) you really try to adopt creative ideas into gift giving.  A few years ago, when my kids were younger, their Father's Day gift to my husband was a questionaire that I created the questions for and I recorded their exact answers.  It was such a hit!  Some of the questions were:

What was daddy  like as a little boy?

What is daddy really good at?

What is daddy not very good at?

What is daddy's favorite food? Least favorite?

What is something daddy says a lot? (I admit-this one could potentially be a zinger!)

What is your favorite thing about daddy?

If you could buy daddy anything in the world, what would it be?

What is something you would like to do with daddy one day?


I will say that the younger your kids are, the funnier the answers are.  The key is to record their exact response! No editing.  And, of course you can adjust the questions to your particular family and lifestyle.

This is truly a gift from the heart..and around here, those are priceless.

Luck O' The Irish

We had a visit from the Leprechaun last night.  He left us a message with Scrabble letters...

                 He got into my green sticky notes and left another message on the wall...

                        We have ballet slippers in the potted plants....

                               Apparently he loves board games...

                                                                 And cereal as well.

                                 We have Barbies on the window sill....

                                   Tap shoes on the mantle....

Library books were all over the living room...or did my kids do that?

                                 Have a wonderful St. Patricks Day everyone!