The Beginning of Knowledge

I am really looking forward to this upcoming homeschool year!  I have many fun things planned.

These are my curriculum choices for 2014-2015:

Bible -
     Exploring God's Love (from Positive Action)
     Bible Memory Picture Cards (from A Beka Book)

Character Development -
     Character Concepts (by Marilyn Boyer)

Reading (primarily sight words) -
     MBR Beginning Reading Program (by Laura Felzer)

Reading (primarily phonics) -
     Language Development Visuals (from A Beka Book)
     Letters and Sounds (from A Beka Book)
     Letter of the Week, Book 1 (from The Education Center)
     Letter of the Week, Book 2 (from The Education Center)
     God's Creation from A to Z (from My Father's World)

Handwriting -
     Get Set for School (from Handwriting Without Tears)

Math -
     Math (from BJU Press)

Social Studies -
     Social Studies (from A Beka Book)

Science -
     God's World (from A Beka Book)

Health -
     Horizons Health (from Alpha Omega Publications)

I also have some other ideas...things we might add later in the school year.  (It always is helpful to establish our routine first!)  I will write about those choices when the time comes.

To me, it looks like plenty to keep us busy!

I want learning and our homeschool time together to be enjoyable for T.  He will learn...but for us, it is not just about the academics.  It is about the heart, too.

First of all, what is knowledge?  According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, knowledge is information, understanding, or skill that one gets from...education. Something I read recently explains further.

     The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge:  but fools despise
     wisdom and instruction.  Proverbs 1:7

     This is the key verse of the book of Proverbs.  The fear of the Lord is the
     beginning (or chief part) of knowledge.  If a man wants to be wise, the
     place to begin is in reverencing God and in trusting and obeying Him.  Fools
     despise wisdom and instruction.  Just as a wise man...is one who is
     willing and anxious to learn, a fool is one who cannot be told anything.

          ~from Believer's Bible Commentary by William MacDonald, page 792

We will begin each day with Bible study.  Through such, I believe T will learn the fear of the Lord—knowledge of God the Father, of His love and grace in Christ...holy, humble fear of God...a reverential affection for Him and devotion to Him.  This chief part of knowledge will be the cornerstone for all the academic subjects that will follow throughout our day.

So, there you have it.  I will let you know how everything goes as we move through our homeschool year.  I am planning (hoping, at least!) to be more intentional in blogging about our homeschool time and activities this year.  I will do my best!  ;o)

Linked to:
   iHomeschool Network
   Ben and Me
   Titus 2 Tuesday

Back to School

Although we started our homeschool year last week, I decided to consider today our "first day of school."

Here are two "first day of school" photos of T.

Here is his "first day of school" lunch.

I love, love, love T's new PlanetBox lunchbox, which he received for his birthday.  (I felt like I was receiving a birthday present, too!)

• sandwich, wrapped with a lunchbox printable (from Little Lovely)
• Scrabble Junior Cheez-It Crackers
• applesauce with red sprinkles
• PlanetBox spoon
• Newman's Own Organics Alphabet Cookies (letter A cookie)
• apple juice

And here is T, enjoying his "first day of school" lunch.  :)

Calendar Notebook

We started our homeschool year today.  This week, I will be working primarily on school routine and other basics with T.  I will add more and more academic subjects as the month progresses.

This school year, I am using a "Morning Meeting Notebook" with T.

So far, his notebook includes the following pages.

• monthly calendar*
• monthly number picture*
• days of the week, months of the year, the year, seasons of the year*
• weather, feelings*
• monthly song**
• 100 days of school***

I will add additional pages in the weeks and months ahead.

*These pages came from Mama's Learning Corner preschool calendar notebook set of 29 printable pages.  She designed the pages to be placed in sheet protectors so a child can use a dry erase marker to complete them.  T is completing the pages a little differently.

The set includes monthly calendars for July 2013 through June 2014.  The numbers on each monthly calendar are designed so a child can trace them.  T uses a dot marker to mark the date.

The set includes monthly number pictures.  The instructions state that a child should find the number for the date each day, and cross it out.  T uses a dot marker to mark the number for the date.

The next page of the set includes "Today is..." with the days of the week listed, "Tomorrow is..." with the days of the week listed, "The month is..." with the months of the year listed, "The year is..." with a primary writing line, and "The season is..." with the seasons of the year listed.  I read each sentence, and T points to the correct answer.  Currently, I am skipping the sections "Tomorrow is..." and "The year is..."; although, we talk about the current year when we work on the monthly calendar page.  (T is sure the current season is spring, because the leaves have not started changing colors yet!)

The next page of the set includes "Today's weather is..." with various options listed, and "Today I feel..." with various options listed.  I read each sentence, and T points to the correct answer.  (T is intrigued with the Band-aid on the sick face's forehead!)

**This page came from Mrs. Meacham's Classroom Snapshots website. In the Barb's Inserts part of her Calendar Math section, you can find songs (as well as reading and writing activities) for each month of the school year.  We sing the song together...
actually, I am doing all of the singing right now...and include signs (American Sign Language) we know.

***On several other blogs, I have seen charts for tracking the first 100 days of school.  I used Excel to create this page for T's notebook.  He uses a dot marker to mark the number.

School Supplies Treasure Hunt

After supper, T went on a back-to-school treasure hunt...for his school supplies.

First, I wrapped his backpack...a new one this year...monogrammed.  :)

I told him it was a special "back-to-school present"...and of course, he was thrilled!

He checked out all of the zippers...4!

He decided to put it on...but had a little trouble.  His papa came to the rescue...and adjusted the straps.

I read the clues to T...and he happily trotted around the house, looking for his school supplies:

markers in the bedroom...

scissors in the bathroom...

notebook in the laundry room...

glue outside...

to name a few.  Regarding the glue...according to the pre-written clues, it was supposed to be on the "grass out front."  Considering it was dark and wet outside (not to mention the fact that T didn't have on his shoes), I opted for the "grass" just outside the garage door!  ;o)

The last "clue" was this special note:

Congratulations!

You've found everything on the list!
But there's one last supply that can't be missed.

The most important thing you'll need for the whole school year
Is Jesus, the One who will fill you with cheer.

He'll be with you every step of the way --
And He'll guide you and bless you each and every school day.

T liked it so much that he went over and put it in his backpack!  :)

We've never tried a back-to-school treasure hunt...before this one.  It was a lot of fun.  By the way, the cute "clues" (written in rhyme) came from Happy Home Fairy.

Back-to-School Supper

We enjoyed a back-to-school supper this evening.

We ate:

• vegetable soup
• breadsticks
• cheese crackers

A simple meal, really, but I tried to give it some flair...for "back to school."  :)

I made the vegetable soup from scratch, from a recipe my mom gave to me years ago...and added some alphabet pasta (for flair!) to make it alphabet vegetable soup.

For the breadsticks, I tried a new recipe I came across:  Late-Night Breadsticks, from the Taste of Home Good Food Kids Love cookbook (October 2006 issue).  I changed it a bit...and came up with the following recipe.

Back-to-School Breadsticks

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1 roll refrigerated Pillsbury Original Breadsticks
1/4 cup butter, melted

In a shallow bowl, combine the first five ingredients; set aside.  Unroll and separate dough into 12 strips.  Dip each strip in butter, then roll in cheese mixture.

Place 2 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Bake at 375 degrees F. for 10-13 minutes or until golden brown.

~Incredibly yummy...and just as fattening, I'm sure!  ;o)  As I placed each piece of dough onto the baking sheet, I shaped it into a letter (for flair!).

I also served Cheez-It Scrabble Junior crackers in an apple-shaped glass dish.

T's milk was in a cup with alphabet letters all over it.

Above T's place setting, I spelled his name using all different kinds of letters.

I saw the idea for the meal (menu) and the decoration (name) on The Princess and The Frog Blog.  :)

Back-to-School Celebration

We had a family back-to-school celebration this evening.

Our menu:

• sloppy joes
• baked beans
• potato chips
• celery sticks
• carrot sticks
• ranch dip
• apple cupcakes
• back-to-school cookies

I made the sloppy joes from scratch, in the crock-pot.  The baked beans are from a jar (B&M brand).

The celery sticks are in a small tin pail with an apples design.  The carrots are in a small tin pail with a pencils design.  (I think I purchased the pails at Wal-Mart.)

For letter Aa - apple, I made cupcakes to look like apples.

I used a pretzel stick for the stem.  For the leaf, I used a rolling pin to flatten a Jolly Rancher green apple-flavored fruit chew; then, I cut it with a leaf-shaped cutter.  The cupcakes are a yellow cake mix in red cupcake liners, with white frosting and red sugar.

I saw the idea for these cupcakes on at least three different sites:  Pirates & Princesses, Party Pinching, and Everyday Celebrating.

For letter Bb - bag, I put ziplock baggies of Lay's Baked! potato crisps in brown lunch bags.

For letter Cc - cookie, I baked Nestle Back to School Pals sugar cookies.

Here is a photo of the packaging for the cookies.  (I purchased these cookies at Wal-Mart.)

The inspiration for the decorations came from Party Pinching.  (Scroll down to the second back-to-school party, August 2011.)  I created the mini Aa-Bb-Cc posters using free clip art I found on the Internet.

The apple-themed printables I used (party circles and buffet table cards) were designed by Krysten at Clickable Party for Catch My Party.

T was absolutely thrilled...and asked me to take his picture in front of the party table! :)

It's a Jungle in Here!

Our schoolroom and connected bathroom have a jungle theme.  Our son, Talks-with-Hands, is partial to monkeys, so it works out well.  :)

Each year on T's first day back to (home) school, I give him a card and a gift...usually a stuffed monkey.  This year was no different.  I suppose it's become a sort of tradition maybe??

I carried the monkey idea bit further this year.  T completed a week of monkey-themed activities.  Hey, he even enjoyed some monkey-themed meals!  For the activities, I primarily used the Letter M for Monkey unit from Confessions of a Homeschooler.  For the meals, I actually came up with the ideas on my own...after looking at lots and lots of fabulous Muffin Tin Meals!  (You all are sooo creative!)

Breakfast...

monkey shapes cut from French toast, holding banana slices, swinging from a fruit roll-up vine...and milk in a monkey cup.

Lunch...

a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a wrap (from Little Lovely, with monkey stickers added), and Cheez-It Scrabble Junior crackers....Yes, I know the J is missing; I searched through the entire new box of crackers, and no J.

...and a bottle of water with a wrap.

For dessert...

a cupcake.  ~A little lame, isn't it?  I didn't have any couldn't find the can of white icing (which I intended to tint green), and I had neither the inclination nor the time to make icing, so I opted for powdered sugar and sprinkles (and monkey face fruit snacks).  T was happy.  I guess that's what matters most.  :)

Happy "Back to School"!

BTW, check out some other muffin tin meals....