What Homeschooling Looks Like for Us

We're already 7 weeks into our school year and I have yet to share with those of you who are interested exactly what we're actually doing.

A mentor gave me an old curriculum of hers just in passing and said I could pass it on if it didn't look like it would fit us. I looked through it and absolutely loved it! It's called Five in a Row.

The foundation for each week is a classic book. Then after reading the book each day you have about 12 different activities you can do. They all fall under the categories: Social Studies, Science, Math, Language and Art.

This past week we did a review week, but I'll go through what we did last week for an example.

The book was Madeline.

Social Studies:
Geography- We located France on a map, learned what the France flag looked like and learned how to draw it (which was pictured in the book). We learned about the Seine river (which was pictured in the book) and talked about what rivers are used for.

Human Relationships- learned some good character traits the girls demonstrated in the story. "Smiled at the good and frowned at the bad..." Reviewed what it's like to have compassion on others, just like the girls did in the book.

History- Noted that the book was written in 1933. Discussed some things that might have happened around that time. (Like grandparents being born). Looked for old fashioned things in the book like steam-heat radiator, the ambulance and the bus.

Language:
Literary Devices- The author uses a lot of poetry and repetition in the book. We looked for those things.

Vocabulary- words learned: appendix, solemn, disaster

Art:
Architecture- pointed out different famous buildings in the book and looked to see in other books if we could find the same landmarks.

Appreciating Variety- comparing all of the different kinds of drawings used in the book (black and white, small, large, full color palette). Practiced drawing our own pictures to look like the ones in the story.

Math:
Grouping and Dividing- used counting chips to represent all the 12 girls. Learned how they could be divided up into different groups with the same number of girls in each group.

Size and Degree- explored the concept of smaller and larger, and then small, smaller, smallest and big, bigger, biggest. Sorted items into those categories.

Symmetry- noted pictures in the book where the things were the same on side as they were on the other, like the girls in their beds or at the table. Then noted asymmetrical. Science:
Health- noted what good habits we can practice to maintain good health. Noted what healthy habits the girls in the book performed.

So that was all from the book.

Along with that we have some other things we focus on each week: A letter, a country and a Bible verse.

Last week was France and that is where Madeline lived, so that worked out great.

~ We learned about how people in France go out each day to the market and get their food. We took a trip to the bakery so Samuel could buy a French baguette.
~ We learned how they eat their different food groups separately like the meat and the veggies separate. So we had a meal one night making sure it was divided out like that.
~ The Tour De France is in France, so we learned about bikes and different uses for them.
~ There was a game they play in France that the kids saw in a book we got at the library and they learned how to play that game.

So, anyways... that's a look into what our weeks look like. It's really exciting to see what the boys get excited about and then we go in that direction. It's not necessarily what they are learning right now, just that they are learning.
We stress letters and our Bible verse for the week, but other than that, we just try and hit on the big stuff. But, it's amazing that at the end of a week after writing it all out like that, how much they actually learned.

We go to the library each week to get the book and then read it there. While we're there we choose other books that help us dig deeper into different areas that our book of the week provides.

We paint, color, use play dough, draw, build in response to the books as well.

And a huge factor that I cannot leave out is the fact that I am homeschooling 2 very active boys! So, there are forms of physical activity woven throughout the stuff that makes it all the more interesting for them. Physical activity is their love language! The more play for them, the better.

So, in a very large nutshell, if you are considering homeschooling your kid, I would highly recommend this curriculum. Even if you aren't homeschooling, I would recommend it. The books are not specifically Christian, but the author of the curriculum is and there is actually a Christian Character and Bible Study supplement you can get to enhance this curriculum.

I am obviously super new at this whole homeschooling bit, but it's already getting easier by the week and we are finding quickly what works and what doesn't for our family. One thing that I promised myself starting out is that I would not make myself feel guilty for not being 'perfect'. I would do what I could and forget the rest. They are 4 and 2, not 14 and 12! It is a learning process and we started when we did so that we'd get better with each year. I have no idea how long we'll homeschool but for right now, it's perfect for our family!

One day, I would love to post on the reasons why we have chosen homeschooling. Stay tuned...