I was pretty excited - and just as nervous - to have the chance to review a product for the first time for someone else that I had not previously picked out and used! I wasn't entirely sure what it was all about, but after reading a short description, I did know exactly which child might benefit most from it! Yes, my little Monkey is a stubborn, hard-headed one. She has her sweet side, but she needs some help to bring it out a bit more and to begin controlling that temper (and yes, selfishness) of hers! Kathie Morrissey of The Character Corner was kind enough to send me the program of Little Lads and Ladies of Virtue for review. I was quite nervous, beginning to look through it. Would my little Monkey really understand things such as "Attentiveness" and "Contentment?" She's only four right now! Would this hold her attention, even for a few minutes? She is my high-strung child... We have now completed a week and a half of the program, and I can say that I'm confident in it!! The lessons are quite short, so they are perfect for little attention spans. The words are defined in a way that little ones can grasp the concept. Ms. Morrissey gives ways to apply the concept that a little one can remember and hold on to. My little Monkey has even been reminding Dude of what attentiveness is! =) It's so funny to listen to my 4 year old discuss attentiveness at the dinner table. It's adorable to hear the Bible verses coming out of her mouth, whether she fully understands those or not. She's learning them, and will have them to go back to! The simple activities that go with the lessons later in the week even had my Dude begging to join in and giggling alongside his sister! As an added bonus, there is a coloring page for each concept. Few little ones can resist a good coloring page!! At the end of each week, the child earns a reward sticker to put on a reward chart provided to showcase what they have learned. The suggestion is to have them put it on their page, display it, and then replace it with the next week's when it is earned. Little Monkey loves to glue, so I have not only let her color and personalize her reward chart, but I am going to let her glue each badge to the page as she earns them, including on the back as she fills the front! My verdict? It's a winner!!!!! I will most certainly be re-using this program as Scoot comes up, and the new baby behind her! The ease of teaching, the fun of the activities that really help get them involved in the lesson, and the simplicity so that a young mind can understand all come together, and I can see good results already that will only grow as more concepts are introduced! Now, is this only for very small ones? NO! I could easily use this program for my 7 year old alone. Even he would benefit from its lessons, and he obviously likes the activities! He's also trying to say the definitions alongside Monkey, even though he isn't always around when we are doing the lessons. =) In addition to the basic program, there are also copywork sheets that can be added in. This is a good extra for one that is at least 5-6 years old. Dude, at 7, can make use of these when he joins in! *** Please note: I was NOT paid for this review! I was provided the materials, free of charge, in return for an honest review, with no guarantee of which way that review would go! ;)
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7/9/2014 0 Comments
Counting down
The final days of our summer have come! Yes, you read that right - we're about to begin school once again. July 15th we start our lessons. Why so early? Well, for one, I've been moving to more of a year-round schedule to fit our lifestyle and cycles a bit better. To add to that need, we have a little one due at the end of October, so there will be a couple of months off in the fall! Really, around here, the fall is the better time for getting out and playing than July and August anyway, so it's a win-win situation! =)
We have been doing some reviewing, courtesy of 3 Dinosaurs and Royal Baloo's Buildup to Summer series they've put out. I hope it helps to smoothly kick off the new year, without much need of review. Dude and Monkey have enjoyed the different themes quite a bit!
So what have we been doing these past few weeks in preparation? Well, unlike usual, it's actually only been this week that I've been laying out lesson plans. I think part of that is more familiarity with the programs we are using - I'm definitely not so anxious as to how to tackle this year with Dude!!! However, I have done a couple of spreadsheets this year, as opposed to fully by hand writing out how I will divide up the lessons for grammar and reading.
If you've checked out the third grade page, you'll know we're going with First Language Lessons from Peace Hill Press mixed with Primary Language Lessons for grammar. They are not necessary to use together, however, I do like to have daily grammar lessons, and the change in style seems to help keep interest up! I decided that, since this year has its own workbook for First Language Lessons, I would use a folder, possibly switching to a 3 ring binder, to keep the worksheets in. Because I'll be tearing them out of the workbook and mixing in another book's lessons, I had to change up the recommended schedule for completing the lessons. I opted for choice "C" given in the teacher's manual, mixing the optional lessons in throughout the year, to complete the entire book.
Want to take a peek? Here's the first half of our year:
We have been doing some reviewing, courtesy of 3 Dinosaurs and Royal Baloo's Buildup to Summer series they've put out. I hope it helps to smoothly kick off the new year, without much need of review. Dude and Monkey have enjoyed the different themes quite a bit!
So what have we been doing these past few weeks in preparation? Well, unlike usual, it's actually only been this week that I've been laying out lesson plans. I think part of that is more familiarity with the programs we are using - I'm definitely not so anxious as to how to tackle this year with Dude!!! However, I have done a couple of spreadsheets this year, as opposed to fully by hand writing out how I will divide up the lessons for grammar and reading.
If you've checked out the third grade page, you'll know we're going with First Language Lessons from Peace Hill Press mixed with Primary Language Lessons for grammar. They are not necessary to use together, however, I do like to have daily grammar lessons, and the change in style seems to help keep interest up! I decided that, since this year has its own workbook for First Language Lessons, I would use a folder, possibly switching to a 3 ring binder, to keep the worksheets in. Because I'll be tearing them out of the workbook and mixing in another book's lessons, I had to change up the recommended schedule for completing the lessons. I opted for choice "C" given in the teacher's manual, mixing the optional lessons in throughout the year, to complete the entire book.
Want to take a peek? Here's the first half of our year:
For a quick breakdown of my shorthand, "F" is for First Language Lessons, and the number is the lesson number. The "DS" following the F stands for Dictionary Skills - one of the optional groups of lessons, also followed by its corresponding lesson number. "PLL" would be Primary Language lessons, followed by the lesson number. We completed through lesson 48 last year.
For reading, I laid out a very similar spreadsheet. We are continuing the Pathways series. Dude says he can't wait to start his new reading program!
I had actually wavered on continuing a reading program. He has become so fluent, that I was thinking that reading time and discussion alongside his writing and grammar would fulfill his needs. I may be right in that context, but given his excitement over his new program, I think I'm glad we continued this series. And it certainly won't hurt to get some extra reinforcement in there! =)
Here's another peek at our scheduling in this set:
(the page numbers are the workbook pages we'll be covering that day)
I had actually wavered on continuing a reading program. He has become so fluent, that I was thinking that reading time and discussion alongside his writing and grammar would fulfill his needs. I may be right in that context, but given his excitement over his new program, I think I'm glad we continued this series. And it certainly won't hurt to get some extra reinforcement in there! =)
Here's another peek at our scheduling in this set:
(the page numbers are the workbook pages we'll be covering that day)
So far, those are the only two with schedules written down. We'll also be continuing in Latina Christiana I, alongside Famous Men of Rome, which we started at the end of second grade. That pattern for teaching has already been established, so I"ll get out last year's planner and continue on from where we left off.
Math is always harder to plan out long-term. I never know which chapters Dude will fly through that I thought may present a challenge, or which chapters he may have a harder time with that I thought he'd catch on to with no problem! So, we'll be somewhat playing it by ear with that one. I'll have a rough outline for at least the first few weeks. This is the only subject I'm somewhat anxious about this year - we jump in with both feet to learn multiplication! I know that Math-U-See has provided a wonderful foundation for him, and that he really does know the basics and, without knowing it, he's already been doing some simple multiplication. However, the mental shift into really teaching it has me a good bit nervous. I'll let you know how it goes!! =)
Dude picked his Bible curriculum this year. It's the first one that he's picked. He says he likes the others that I've chosen! This year, he liked the looks of Memoria Press' Christian Studies I, and I think he made a good choice! He likes to study more in-depth than just the surface of Bible stories, and this should fulfill that desire, complete with maps, which he loves!
Writing with Ease definitely fulfills on the Ease part for this mama! The lessons come pre-planned out for a 36 week school year, 4 days a week. So, no worries there - it's all ready by the time I get it! =)
This year in science we dive into Zoology I: Flying Creatures from Apologia. Dude just wants to get to the bats! It is pretty easy to lay out those lessons, so I'm not worried about that. Maybe tonight I"ll sit down and at least get the first few weeks lined up! =)
I have already begun to line up history. At least, I have chosen what chapters I will teach each week. Story of the World, Volume 3 holds exciting things for Dude - he already loves the Revolutionary War, and, being a Texan, the Alamo. Both are covered by the end of this year!!!! I foresee many battle scenes reenacted before the year is out. =)
Music will now be taught through piano lessons. So, no real curriculum or lining up of lessons there, although I already do have blocked out a bit of each school day to make sure practice happens!
Math is always harder to plan out long-term. I never know which chapters Dude will fly through that I thought may present a challenge, or which chapters he may have a harder time with that I thought he'd catch on to with no problem! So, we'll be somewhat playing it by ear with that one. I'll have a rough outline for at least the first few weeks. This is the only subject I'm somewhat anxious about this year - we jump in with both feet to learn multiplication! I know that Math-U-See has provided a wonderful foundation for him, and that he really does know the basics and, without knowing it, he's already been doing some simple multiplication. However, the mental shift into really teaching it has me a good bit nervous. I'll let you know how it goes!! =)
Dude picked his Bible curriculum this year. It's the first one that he's picked. He says he likes the others that I've chosen! This year, he liked the looks of Memoria Press' Christian Studies I, and I think he made a good choice! He likes to study more in-depth than just the surface of Bible stories, and this should fulfill that desire, complete with maps, which he loves!
Writing with Ease definitely fulfills on the Ease part for this mama! The lessons come pre-planned out for a 36 week school year, 4 days a week. So, no worries there - it's all ready by the time I get it! =)
This year in science we dive into Zoology I: Flying Creatures from Apologia. Dude just wants to get to the bats! It is pretty easy to lay out those lessons, so I'm not worried about that. Maybe tonight I"ll sit down and at least get the first few weeks lined up! =)
I have already begun to line up history. At least, I have chosen what chapters I will teach each week. Story of the World, Volume 3 holds exciting things for Dude - he already loves the Revolutionary War, and, being a Texan, the Alamo. Both are covered by the end of this year!!!! I foresee many battle scenes reenacted before the year is out. =)
Music will now be taught through piano lessons. So, no real curriculum or lining up of lessons there, although I already do have blocked out a bit of each school day to make sure practice happens!
That all covered the teaching, but if you've been reading the blog, you'll know that I've been preparing for the big move of switching the study with the nursery. The nursery was located in the biggest extra room of the house, and now it's time to make use of that room, and add in some desks for the munchkins, making it not only our study/office, but a schoolroom as well!
So far, progress has been delayed with preparations for and a trip to Florida to attend a very close friend's wedding. Now that we are back and settled, I've begun to tackle the major move. We'll see if we're in our schoolroom by next Tuesday to begin our school year! What's been done, you ask? Well, for starters, there is a loveseat located in the nursery. Odd, I know, but it's where I lie down with a nursing baby in the middle of the night, or just cuddle with a little one as needed. I'm quite attached to that little loveseat! So, it had to go into the big-kid room for the time being, to give space for the other moving around that is going to happen!
So far, progress has been delayed with preparations for and a trip to Florida to attend a very close friend's wedding. Now that we are back and settled, I've begun to tackle the major move. We'll see if we're in our schoolroom by next Tuesday to begin our school year! What's been done, you ask? Well, for starters, there is a loveseat located in the nursery. Odd, I know, but it's where I lie down with a nursing baby in the middle of the night, or just cuddle with a little one as needed. I'm quite attached to that little loveseat! So, it had to go into the big-kid room for the time being, to give space for the other moving around that is going to happen!
Once that was out and situated in the kids' room, complete with moving Scoot out of the portacrib and onto a little cot I had bought for the trip at Wal-mart, the Principal was ready to get in on the action, and his desk went into place the very same day! That all occurred on Monday.
Tuesday brought the crib being taken apart for the first time in 7 years. It's just too wide to fit through the door assembled!
Tuesday brought the crib being taken apart for the first time in 7 years. It's just too wide to fit through the door assembled!
I also unloaded, moved, anchored, and reloaded one set of bookshelves. That was quite a process while also attending to 3 little ones! Today (Wednesday) hopefully brings the start to building the bookshelves that will serve double-duty as desks. A big thank-you to my friend for sending me the idea! I'll post pictures as I go so that you can see what I'm talking about.
What about you? Are you about to start schooling again? Are you still carrying over from last year? Or are you just enjoying the summer and will hold off until fall for lessons? Do you have any major changes you're making for this school year?
What about you? Are you about to start schooling again? Are you still carrying over from last year? Or are you just enjoying the summer and will hold off until fall for lessons? Do you have any major changes you're making for this school year?
Mother of Dude, Monkey, and Scoot... and a new one on the way!
I think that about sums it up! :)
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