End of the year

Our school year has been very...scattered, I guess you could say.  We often randomly take a week or more off at a time because of appointments, holidays, weather, etc.  We are trying to wrap up for the end of the year.  If we squish some things (for example, doing two states per day instead of one) we should be able to get finished just in time to start the new year!
I am very excited about the new school year.  It will be the first year I've had to report to the school district for Sweet Potato, who is now 8 years old.  We are doing MFW Exploring Countries and Cultures, which is more than just a geography/social studies curriculum, but is designed to also give children an understanding of the prayer needs of people in other countries who live very differently than we do.  It focuses on learning the geography, the cultures, the habitats and animals of different countries, as well as the religious climate of the countries and what the attitudes are toward Christianity. I pray that it will open our eyes and show us how fortunate we really are to live in our own country which is so rich in everything and where we have so many freedoms.  Here are some of the books we will be using:

MFW Exploring Countries and Cultures Teacher Manual

Flags of the World Ultimate Sticker Book 

Hero Tales

Window on the World

Illustrated World Atlas

Classroom Atlas

Maps and Globes

Geography from A to Z

A Trip Around the World

Another Trip Around the World

Living World Encyclopedia

Global Art

Wee Sing Around the World

Kingdom Tales

Christian Heroes: Then and Now - six book set

Cameron Townsend

Amy Carmichael

Nate Saint

David Livingstone

George Müller

Gladys Aylward

I have also been collecting various books on different countries at book sales, yard sales and anywhere else I can find them!  

Here's everything on the MFW website.  Some of the books on there are different than what we're using because they are now selling the 2nd Edition, while we are using 1st Edition. 

I bought my TM at the used book sale at CHAP last year for $15 and pieced together the rest of the books from eBay, the MFW Curriculum Swap Yahoo group, and some we just happened to have on hand (thanks, Lord!) 

Relaxed schooling

Since I have been sick for the past two weeks (feeling better now, thanks) things have been really relaxed around here.  We finally started back to school yesterday, but it was an easy day of math, LA, history and watching two episodes of America: The Story of Us to review what we've learned in American history so far.  Today was another relaxed day.  Here you can see Sweet Potato working on his language book on my bed.

He was really not enjoying Primary Language Lessons and was not getting anything out of it but frustration, so I decided to switch him to a more structured language curriculum.  I chose Christian Light Education's Language Arts.  After looking through the samples online, I realized we would need to back up to 1st grade level.  However we were able to skip the first two units and start with Unit 3.  So there are 8 units, each a skinny workbook, similiar to Lifepacs.  So far he is getting through it much better and is learning more also.

Thanksgiving Week

I think it is really great that the Hazells include a lesson plan for Thanksgiving week!  I really wanted to do some of the Native American games and crafts, but time just got away from us.  The children REALLY enjoyed the pumpkin science lesson, though! 

It floats!

The number of seeds really surprised us!

Week 4 - Native Americans

We enjoyed our study of Native Americans, and it was really convenient that we happened to be coming up on Thanksgiving week the following week also.  The children enjoyed Squanto, Friend of the Pilgrims so much that we ended up finishing it in a few days rather than the few weeks it was scheduled!  They also really enjoyed the crafts this week.  They spent a lot of time making their wigwams and teepees.  While we at the dollar store that week we HAD to buy some Indian and "settler" figurines so they could play with everything.

The Wigwam Village

The Teepee Village

Of course this also inspired them to dig out the Lincoln Logs to make cabins and forts for the "settlers".  All in all, a very creative and memorable week!

Week 3 - Jamestown

Our paper Jamestown model

The highlight of our Jamestown study was the paper Jamestown model we made.  We printed this project for FREE from Homeschool In the Woods.  The children enjoyed coloring it and setting it all up.  This stayed on the dining room table for a week or two.  I remember studying Jamestown when my oldest was in 6th grade and we used Lincoln Logs stood on their ends to make a replica!

Adventures!

Beginning Adventures in My Father's World! Here are some pictures from the beginning of our school year.

Some of the resources we are using:

Schoolhouse Rock DVD's, AMERICA the Story of Us DVD's,

Primary Language Lessons, Usborne First Encyclopedia of Science,

American Pioneers and Patriots, and Kids Learn America!

Book basket books for the early weeks

Leif Ericsson notebook page

Christopher Columbus' ships activity

Two of our "Name" crafts:

God loves me bracelets & name plates for their notebooks

Sweet Potato working on Spelling

Sweet Potato's math books

Fresh/Salt Water Experiment

I am way behind on posting our Adventures adventures! We are currently working on Week 9. Sweet Potato is not doing well with Primary Language Lessons, so I have decided to switch him to Christian Light Language Arts. We are starting that tomorrow. Cupcake is moving through her Rod & Staff Phonics right on schedule and is almost finished Unit 1. Snickerdoodle is still not interested in school, other than putting together the occasional puzzle or requesting play-doh during school time. We are on target to finish the school year by July or August so that we can begin the new year in September.