What Lies Ahead

Every year we are allotted a budget for Ashlee's school curriculum. I then get to go online to the Rainbow Resource catalog and choose from thousands of texts and educational tools. In an effort to be prepared for the next year and have a relaxing summer vacation, tonight was the night I went shopping! (This list has been several weeks in the making.) This is in addition to what we already have on the shelves from last year and will be continuing next year. I told Forrest he had better start building another book shelf...

Ashlee and Jacob's Curriculum:

Excellence in Spelling: Phonetic Zoo Level A Complete Set
Item #: 013352

American History Stories You Never Read in School…But Should Have Vol. 1
Item #: 027322

Daily Writing Warm-Ups Grades 5-6
Item #: 025066

3-D U.S.A. Map
Item #: 024700

American History Stories You Never Read in School…But Should Have Vol. 2
Item #: 027323

Write What You Think
Item #: 012331

3-D World Map
Item #: 024701

Children’s Encyclopedia of American History
Item #: 028380

U.S. State Boundary Maps - Set of 50
Item #: 007485

Ten Essential Vocabulary Strategies Book 2
Item #: 028492

Math 7/6 Homeschool KIT (4th Edtion)
Item #: 024430

Ten Essential Vocabulary Strategies Book 1-5 Key
Item #: 004727

Colonial Days
Item #: 003620

U.S. Geography Skill Builders
Item #: 015196

Emma’s Journal: Story of a Colonial Girl
Item #: 028813

States & Capitals Workbook & Music CD
Item #: 010419

Declaration of Independence
Item #: 031488

Paragraphs and Composition

Math 1 Home Study Kit
Item #: 018399

Phonics Drillcards
Item #: 002902

Chemistry
Item #: 011599

Manipulative Kit 1 (Basic Plastic Pattern Blocks, NO Optional Items)
Item #: MP1000

How to Spell 1
Item #: 002891

Matter
Item #: 011603

Itty Bitty Phonics Readers Variety Pack of 36
Item #: 019019

Alphabet Wall Charts - Manuscript
Item #: 041118

Sight Words in a Flash Set 1
Item #: 026638

Calendar & Weather Pocket Chart
Item #: 036061

Explode the Code Book 3
Item #: 017038

Usborne Complete First Book of Nature
Item #: 008442

Explode the Code Book 3½
Item #: 001783

Spelling Workout 2001 Level A Student Edition
Item #: 023941

Illustrated Alpha Desk Strip - Manuscript
Item #: 002879

How to Teach Spelling
Item #: 002898

Mysteries and Marvels of Nature Combined Volume
Item #: 011885

I looooove Rainbow Resource. Most, if not all, of their curriculum is designed for homeschoolers, which makes it very user-friendly. You can find everything you would ever want to teach your children. I have included a link to their website in the sidebar under "places I go." Even if you're not in to homeschooling, I guarantee you'll find something for your kiddos.

We are really going to be focusing on American History and Geography for Ashlee this year, and I am so excited. I didn't really absorb a lot of the history I was taught in school, so I am looking forward to re-learning it with Ashlee in a way that will appeal to both of us.

As far as math goes, Saxon has been my favorite program hands down. They are #1 among homeschoolers, and we have had great success with them. Another great program is the Easy Grammar. Like me, Ashlee has an eye for spelling and grammar, and she has really taken to this workbook. Love it!

Towards the end of summer, I will sit down and devise a schedule for our school day. I also like to set short and long-term goals, and plan out quarterly field trips. Like with anything else in life, it's always good to have a routine in place when you are starting something new. You can always branch out from there once you are established and comfortable. I find that I am enjoying homeschooling more and more with each passing year. It's less of an imposition and more of a way of life. I used to ask, "How am I going to find time in the day to homeschool?" Now I find myself thinking, "What would I do in a day if I didn't homeschool?" Funny how we adapt to our circumstances.

Something to Think About

I heard this quote today and like it:

'The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.'

I think I will make it my motto. It replaces fear with faith and hope.

I can apply this to so many things in my life: having babies, homeschooling, joining the church, being a stay-at-home-mom. The Lord's way is not our way, it's usually better. Thanks for sharing this, Roxanne.

Vermicomposting

Today we started a vermicompost pile ('vermi' is the latin word for 'worm'.) The worms were given to us by my friend Andera, who had them in her preschool classroom. The kids had so much fun putting this together, and it has been very educational.

Step 1: Make a bed (we used torn newspapers.)
Step 2: Add moisture to the environment (dump several cups of water to wet the newspaper.)
Step 3: Add worms.
Step 4: Add food, including but not limited to: coffee grounds, potato peels, fruits, vegetables, egg shells, cornmeal and other grains, gritty soil, and garden scraps.
Step 5: Drill holes for circulation, replace lid, and store bin in cool, shady location.

Within weeks, the worms will have "eaten" the food, creating organic compost for your garden.


The kids couldn't get enough of letting the worms wriggle around in their hands.












After the project, we read a booklet on the process of vermicomposting. Here are some interesting facts:

*A worm has four hearts and four stomachs (which is why you can split one in half and have two worms! But we wouldn't do that to ours...)

*The worms in a standard-size compost container (12 gallons) can eat up to one pound of food per day.

*If the worms do not have enough food in their container, they will start to eat each other.

*Worm "poop" is the best organic fertilizer for your garden.

*Worms essentially have two rear-ends (but everyone knew that already, right?)

If you ever want to entertain your kids for an ENTIRE day, give them a bucket of worms and dirt.

More Gardening

Today felt like a day to be outside, so in addition to our composting we did some gardening. Kaitlyn picked too many flowers off of the plant that once resided in this wooden wheel barrow, so I replenished it with my favorite flower- petunias.

The herbs are doing well. We have chives, rosemary, chocolate mint, basil, and aloe vera (not an herb.)

I am amazed at how large red cabbage can grow. I finally had to transplant it from its container into the ground. See the artichoke plant next to it? It has been slow to start, but we are trying our hand at it anyways.

We were inspired by Sister Drew's strawberry patch today, so we had to plant some of our own. My kids had fun harvesting her ripe berries, and they were so delicious! We love homegrown strawberries.

Of the eight sugar snap peas we planted, two survived. Here they are on a trellace in our backyard. They are growing well, but no peas yet. We may have to try again in the fall, as they like the cool weather.

Our raspberry plant is doing great. It is exciting to have seen it grow this much from a bare root. We are looking forward to berries next year.

The butter lettuce is doing well (we harvested one really good head from it already and it made a delicious salad) but I think the weather is getting a little too warm. The pots in back hold zucchini and pumpkin seeds, which we planted today.

We ended the day with baths and homemade whole wheat chocolate chip cookies. Yum!