Looking out the window

Shortcake in a red velvet Christmas outfit. Studying something outside the window.

Homemade Challange

In 2011 I did a Facebook challange to send something handmade to whoever commented on my post about the challange. Of course it took me till December to really get the ball rolling but I did manage to complete the challange. This is what I made:

For another homeschooling friend: Hand sewn felt fraction manipulatives






















For some other friends: Hand sewn felt initial ornaments

December School & Math Stations

We took the month of December off from geography and found lots of other fun things to do. The boys each got a clip board with a few activies clipped to it. A few math pages that we had left to complete, some Mind Benders, Book 1 & 2, etc.


We set aside our usual Bible study and picked up Hind's Feet on High Places (the kid's version). This book was so beautiful! I have memories of my mom reading this to my brother and I when we were kids - good memories!



One day I set up math stations. The boys saw bits and pieces of what I was doing and were anxiously waiting for them to be set up and ready to go. It took forever to get them all set up the first time so when we were done I put everything in a box for a faster set-up next time. This is what they looked like:

Station 1: Egg Carton Place Value (or counting practice if you were The General)





















Station 2: Roll the Dice (still trying to find my source for this one)











Station 3: Popsicle Place Value by Sunny Days in Second Grade.






















Station 4: Discovery Toys Think It Through Tiles











Station 5: Read a living math book











Station 6: Snake by Sunny Days in Second Grade.
It looks like I didn't get any shots of this one. I remember Agent H "going easy" on Agent E so he wouldn't get frustrated.


Station 7: Practice counting to 100 on the abacus











Station 8: Domino War By Sunny Days in Second Grade. They played this one forever - loving it all the while!






















Station 9: Multiplication/Shape Lacing Paddles









Station 10: Place Value File Folders
Opps, looks like I missed getting a photo of this but if you click on the link above you can see hers. :)


Station 11: Balance scale











Station 12: Cash Register - it has addition/subtraction/money games on it












When they completed each station they earned a ticket. The tickets were spent buying toys out of the "You left it laying around so it goes in Momma's bin" bin. They were very happy to see some of their old toys!

Here is a link to my Pinterst board with many of the math games above and more that I'd like to put together: Homeschool-Math

That week we also watched an oldie DVD from Netflix called: Look & Learn, It's A Plus: Learn to Add.

Europe Review

Weehew (is that even a word?) Two continents down! Agent H was so excited for KS's jeopordy game - he'd been asking about it for weeks! The game is the highlight of our review get-together. We also picniced in the living room, watched our favorite Christmas movie (The First Noel), and ate European cookies (thank you S family!), and we made paper luminaries.


































Good-bye Europe, hello North America!

Expedition Earth: Spain

Here we come Spain! Thank you Confessions of a Homeschooler's Expedition Earth for a great journey!

Oh the fun that was had studying Spain. We read Ferdinand (and watched Walt Disney's version on YouTube), cork trees, bull run, Columbus, Picasso, and listened to Phil Keaggy's Lights of Madrid.
































Here are the boys' Piccaso's and yes there is an extra 3rd grader in there. That's Agent H's twin. :) These were FUN!

Here is a link to my Spain Pinterest board.

Expedition Earth: Germany

Here we come Germany! Thank you Confessions of a Homeschooler's Expedition Earth for a great journey!

And here we come castles, knights, and heroic acts!

We took a virtual tour of Neuschwanstein Castle, studied Beethoven and Bach, talked about the Berlin Wall, made a German oven pancake, read Door in the Wali, watched the Sound of Music, played with our toy castle and knights, and made pretzels.













Here is the link to my Germany Pinterest board.

Expedition Earth: Netherlands

Here we come Netherlands! Thank you Confessions of a Homeschooler's Expedition Earth for a great journey!


So the second half of the week was spent in the Netherlands. I hind's sight we should have spent a week on this, such a lovely contry.


Here are the TP roll windmills we made.


















Here is an assortment of Dutch items. My mom happened to pick up the wooden shoe at a garage sale this summer. The tiny Delft porcelain shoes and salt & pepper shaker were gifts from my 'former' life. You know the one that went something like 9 to 5. :) My boss was a world-traveler and on occasion he brought back thank you gifts. (Thank you!) It's special to pull them out now and share them with my family.

We watched some Youtube videos about tulips, went bowling with Ga (it originated there), learned about Corrie ten Boom (would have love to have had them listen to Radio Theater's The Hidding Place but I think it would have scared the bejeebers out of them), looked at some Rembrandt and Van Gogh. It was fun!

Here is my Pinterest board for the Netherlands.

Expedition Earth: Greece

Here we come Greece! Thank you Confessions of a Homeschooler's Expedition Earth for a great journey!

In truth I think we studied both Greece and the Netherlands this week. Not too many pictures to tell our story of Greece but here are a couple.























Well then, I guess that's it. :) I have a puzzle book about Greek Myths so the boys took turns working in that one and the World Atlas puzzle book. Both are Usborne treasures.

We studied the Parthenon, Greek sculpture, Greek coins, and Alexander the Great. Here is a link to my Pinterest board - it's kind of sparse. Pinterest board for Greece.

In Kindergarten math this week, we worked on spelled-out (or is that spelt-out?) numbers with Agent E. We set up a nice long line of stuffed animals and then he got to practice the sight words first, second, thrid . . . tenth. He was pleasantly suprised with how many he knew. I love that when that happens.