Time to revamp our Homeschool

First I am going to say that out of the box curriculum does not work for my child. I am not saying it will not work for your child but for my sanity and my child's sanity it is just not a good fit for us. I know initially it will be a bit more work for me but I have decided to go with the Charlotte Mason Approach. I have been researching this and using some of her approaches to learning for a while now and to be honest it seems to be what works for us.

I have decided to embrace her way of learning and teaching for both my child and myself so that we can continue on this learning process we are on and both continue to be happy. I turned to kijiji a local buy and sell site online and just decided to do a homeschool search and I felt like I hit the jackpot with 7 Charlotte Mason books about her teaching and one on unschooling all from the same person which meant a trip to one house and it was on our way to the Children's Museum we had planned to take our daughter to that day. BONUS!!! I also took this as a sign that I was walking through the right door being that I could afford the books and that they were just the books I was looking for.

I am sure the next little while you are going to find a lot of posts on Charlotte Mason Education and how it is working out for us. I have made a decision to stick with our Math U See curriculum because that is working also. Love that curriculum!

Off to do some reading!

Autumn/Halloween songs

5 Little Pumpkins

Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate (Hold up open hand)

The first one says, "My, it's getting late." (Point at the thumb)

The second one says, "There are witches in the air." (Point to pointer finger)

The third one says, "But we don't care." (Point to the middle finger)

The fourth one says, "Let's run and run and run!" (Point to ring finger)

The fifth one says, "We're ready for some fun!" (Point to the little finger)

Ooooooooooo went the wind (Hold hands open beside mouth)

And out went the light (Clap hands together)

And the five little pumpkins rolled out of sight. (Roll hands around each other)

Hoo!

The owl goes Hoo
The owl goes Hoo
Hi ho on Halloween the owl goes Hoo
The ghost goes Boo
The ghost goes Boo
Hi ho on Halloween the ghost goes Boo

*Sung to Farmer in the Dell

Free 66-page Preschool Unit (Free for One Week Only)

This Preschool Unit of printables for math, writing, and reading is free for one week. The unit has over 60 pages of printables and is available as a download with no catches, and no payment information needed.

The ebook contains the following printables for teaching preschool:

-Alphabet Match
-Size Sort
-Word Cards
-Number Match
-Cloths Pin Clip Cards
-Missing Numbers
-Number Puzzle
-Patterns
-Match the Picture
-Number Sequence Puzzles
-Pre-Writing Skills
-Scissor Skills
-Puzzle Match
-Lacing Card
-Magnet Page
-Uppercase and Lowercase Sort
-Small, Medium, Large Sort
-Word Trace

How to Get this Freebie: Download the free Tools Preschool Unit here.

Geography Canada's Provinces and Territories

New printable worksheets and pictures of the Canadian Provinces.

Check out the link below:

Link to new sheets and printables

Butterfly Ideas

Great info links:

Butterfly World

Butterfly Website (amazing site)

Zoom Butterfly

The Life Cycle of a Butterfly

Learning Activities:

Butterfly Life Cycle

More in depth Life Cycle

Life Cycle Diagram you can label

Coloring pages:

Butterfly #1

Butterfly #2

Butterfly #3

Craft Ideas:

We are making plastic bag butterflies... I found it on this lovely blog that I just came across yesterday.... freepreschoolcrafts.com go check the blog out!

Supplies needed:

• zip-close plastic sandwich bag
• half a pipe cleaner
• scissors
• all kinds of scraps from your “craft pantry”(sequins, beads, patterned paper, tissue paper, coloured pasta)

Poems:

The Fuzzy Caterpillar
(Tune: Itsy Bitsy Spider)

The fuzzy caterpillar
Curled up on a leaf,
Spun her little chrysalis
And then fell fast asleep.
While

she was sleeping
She dreamed that she could fly,
And later when she woke up
She was a butterfly!

The Butterfly Song
(Tune: Up on the Housetop)

First comes a butterfly and lays an egg.
Out comes a caterpillar with many legs.
Oh see the caterpillar spin and spin,
A little chrysalis to sleep in.

Oh, oh ,oh wait and see!
Oh, oh, oh wait and see!
Out of the chrysalis, my oh my,
Out comes a beautiful butterfly!

Easter Ideas and Links ...

Easter themed Game and Printable

Easter Writing Station

This idea is so cool. I am definitely going to be making this for my daycare tomorrow.

The kids are going to love it. They love doing stuff now with writing and sentences.

Build a Bunny

This is an adorable game....

Days of the Week

days of the week
(to the tune of "The Addams Family")

Days of the week, (snap snap)
Days of the week, (snap snap)
Days of the week,
Days of the week,
Days of the week. (snap snap)

There's Sunday and there's Monday,
There's Tuesday and there's Wednesday,
There's Thursday and there's Friday,
And then there's Saturday.

Days of the week, (snap snap)
Days of the week, (snap snap)
Days of the week,
Days of the week,
Days of the week. (snap snap)

ObSEUSSed: Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss! Celebration Ideas and Li...

ObSEUSSed: Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss! Celebration Ideas and Li...: "Happy 107th Birthday Dr. Seuss! 'Today is your birthday! Today you are you! If we didn't have birthdays, you wouldn't be you. If you'd never..."

Mighty Book Jr

http://www.mightybookjr.com

Over 900 animated storybooks with quizzes, etc. free to homeschoolers through December 2011.

http://www.mightybookjr.com/Mightybook_Jr_Home.php

Click "subscribe now" at the top, and use coupon code "learntoread".

I just subscribed but I like what I see so far.... :) Got to love the free resources.

Progessive Phonics

Progressive Phonics

Progressive Phonics is an all-in-one reading program that is easy, fun, and totally FREE---that's right, totally and completely free!

And with Progressive Phonics, ANYONE can teach a child to read and write in just a few minutes a day, which makes it ideal for parents, teachers, tutors, volunteers and home-schoolers.

No experience necessary. Just pick a book and start reading it with your child/students.

Matching handwriting worksheets and activity sheets for each book -- when children write what they learn, they learn it better.

Also teaches the essential sight-words (phonics rule-breakers) that most phonics programs fail to teach.

Instant access -- download and use today. (Free registration required, but there are sample books you can look at before registering.)

Our books can be read on-screen or printed on your color printer. Each book takes 4--8 minutes to print and uses as little ink and paper as possible.

But don't judge a book by it's home page. Read one of our books with a child and see for yourself.

I have just signed up to start using this program... and so far I am loving it!!!!

Valentine Craft Ideas

Valentine Sun Catchers

Check out the link above for the craft below... from

Modge Podge Rocks

Valentine's Lapbook

We have not done a Valentine's lapbook in a few years and I am going to do one with all my daycare kids also. So they will have it done come valentine's day. I will make my daughters more geared to her age then the other little ones just to give her more of a challenge. So here is where I will post my different ideas of what I should use in the lapbooks.

here are some FREE printables you can use for your lapbook or for Valentine's Activities:

Valentine Themed Worksheets Organized by grade

Make your own writing paper

Dot to Dot

Valentine Mazes

Valentine Tic Tac Toe

Make your own Valentine Match Game

Crossword Puzzle

Valentine Comprehension Sheet

More Valentine's Day Printables

Funnix Reading Program... free download

Just a heads up that this is free to download for all of January.

Funnix

During January 2011
FREE Funnix Reading Program
Yes, FREE!!!

Computer requirements: You will need at least 2 GB of free space available on your computer. PC users: XP, Vista, Windows 7. MAC users: 10.4 or above. You will need a high speed internet, either cable or DSL. Dial-up is not recommended.

Themes for this month... WINTER

I am putting together some things for a Winter theme and I thought I would share it all with you.

Finger plays

5 Little Snowmen

5 little snowmen sitting on the ground, (pat hands on floor)

the first one said; "oh my aren't we round." (make circle with arms)

The second one said; "there are snowflakes in the air." (wiggle fingers above head)

The third one said; "but we don't care." (shrug shoulders)

The fourth one said; "lets run and run and run. (pat hands quickly on the floor)

The fifth one said; "I'm ready for some fun." (smile)

Whew went the wind (blow) and out came the sun (make circle with arms over head)

and the five little snowman knew their fun was done.( pretend your melting)

Listen and Spell website

this is a really neat listen and spell website.

Dolch Word Games

Be sure to check out some of their other games that might work for you.

Teddy Bear Theme

This week's theme is Teddy Bears!

So much fun things you can do with this theme from all the different kinds of bears to the ones we love to cuddle with at night. Bears comes in all shapes and sizes and we love them all the same.

Song/Rhyme: Two Little Teddy Bears
Adapted from two little black birds

Two little teddy bears sitting on a hill. (Have the children show the teddy bears)

One named Jack and one named Jill. (Hold one up high then hold the other one up high)

Run away Jack. Run away Jill. (Hide one behind your back, and then hide the other one behind your back, so both are now hidden.)

Come back Jack. Come back Jill. (Bring back one teddy bear, and then bring back the other teddy bear)

Repeat.

Teddy Bear Song - sung to "Mary Had a Little Lamb"

(Child's Name) has a teddy bear,
Teddy bear, teddy bear
(Child's Name) has a teddy bear
It's brown and furry all over.
(change last line to fit description of child's teddy bear.)

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear

Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn around,
Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch the ground.
Teddy bear, teddy bear, reach up high,
Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch the sky.
Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch your shoe,
Teddy bear, teddy bear, I love you!


CRAFTS

Teddy Bear Hat

Need: a picture of a teddy bear head, Brown construction paper, Crayons, Glue, and Scissors. Have the children color a picture of a teddybear head. About the size of a 8 x 11 page. Then cut strip out of brown construction paper. Make headbands out of the strips. (Either use glue or Tape, remember no stapes near a child's head.) Cut out the teddy bear head and glue it to the front of the headband. Now the children can be teddy bears too!

Thanksgiving...

Love this little turkey and plan on making it with my kids.

Handprint Picture Frame


Bingo Dabber Art Pages




Handprint Turkey Craft with Poem


Turkey Coloring Pages




Thanksgiving Mini Book

Halloween Songs and Activities

Brown Owl, Brown Owl

Brown Owl, brown owl who do you see?
I see a White Ghost look at me
White Ghost, White Ghost, who do you see?
I see a Purple Bat looking at me
Purple Bat, Purple Bat, who do you see?
I see a Green Witch looking at me
Green Witch, Green Witch, who do you see?
I see a Black Cat looking at me
Black Cat, Black Cat, who do you see?
I see an Orange Pumpkin looking at me
Orange Pumpkin, Orange Pumpkin, who do you see?
I see a Jack-O-Lantern looking at me

**my plan is to make this for felt board**

Today we are having Pajama Day!!!!

The kids are so excited to be having Pajama Day today! We are going to eat on a blanket as if we are having a slumber party. Today is going to be so much fun!!!!

Homeschooling...

I am a homeschooling mom of a precious daughter who is in grade 1 now.

If you want to check out my homeschooling links and blog please head over to:

Homeschooling Adventures