What do you do to stay "on track" when things are crazy around the house?
One way I accomplish this is to buy a "complete" workbook each year. (I usually purchase the grade level above what my kids would be in school since they're working above grade level in most subjects.) I've been really pleased with Scholastic Success With 3rd Grade this year. Language arts, reading, math, and map work are all covered in pretty good detail.
If we're ever traveling to a far-away field trip or things are just too crazy to plan "regular" subjects I pull this out and feel my sanity returning with every moment.
What do you do to stay "on track"?
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Marching Forth
It would be very consistent with my perfectionist tendencies to go back and analyze the reasons that I haven't updated my blog since January.
Instead, I'm going to use March 4th (tomorrow) to look to the future. With renewed strength and sanity I'm going to make an effort to be more regular in my posting. I'm reminded that I might actually have a few worthwhile things to write about and share.
I just returned from a 48 hour pastor's wives retreat with three other wonderful people. There was time for fellowship and Bible study, movies and games. Having the chance to share the ups and downs of our lives at present really helped me get perspective. I returned home feeling that I really can make it through to the end of our school year. I also had a sense of peace knowing that whatever does or does not get accomplished this school year is minimal in the eternal scheme of things.
Parenting and homeschooling can be difficult, living in a small town with few opportunities to get together with other homeschoolers. Taking this opportunity was definitely something I would recommend highly. I have a couple more really special people in my life that I'd like to share a smiliar renewing experience with.
Today I'm especially grateful for:
-this time away.
-a welcome-home full of hugs and kisses.
-a clean sink without any dishes from 46 hours ago.
-extraordinary friends and family given to me by God with whom I can share anything.
-the internet, which helps me stay connected with across so many miles.
Instead, I'm going to use March 4th (tomorrow) to look to the future. With renewed strength and sanity I'm going to make an effort to be more regular in my posting. I'm reminded that I might actually have a few worthwhile things to write about and share.
I just returned from a 48 hour pastor's wives retreat with three other wonderful people. There was time for fellowship and Bible study, movies and games. Having the chance to share the ups and downs of our lives at present really helped me get perspective. I returned home feeling that I really can make it through to the end of our school year. I also had a sense of peace knowing that whatever does or does not get accomplished this school year is minimal in the eternal scheme of things.
Parenting and homeschooling can be difficult, living in a small town with few opportunities to get together with other homeschoolers. Taking this opportunity was definitely something I would recommend highly. I have a couple more really special people in my life that I'd like to share a smiliar renewing experience with.
Today I'm especially grateful for:
-this time away.
-a welcome-home full of hugs and kisses.
-a clean sink without any dishes from 46 hours ago.
-extraordinary friends and family given to me by God with whom I can share anything.
-the internet, which helps me stay connected with across so many miles.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
100th day of school--List 1
READING
* Read a book with more than 100 pages.
* Work together as a group to read more than 100 pages.
* Read today for 100 minutes.
* How many 100 point books can you read and test on bookadventure.com?
* There is a sampling of books you may be able to get from your library:
* 100 Monsters in My School by Bonnie Bader
* 100 Ways to Celebrate 100 Days by Bruce Goldstone
* The 100th Day of School by Angela Shelf Medearis
* 100th Day Worries by Margery Cuyler
* 98, 99, 100, Ready or Not, Here I Come by Teddy Slater
* Counting Our Way to the 100th Day by Betsy Franco
* Emily's First 100 Days of School by Rosemary Wells
* Jake's 100th Day of School by Lester Laminack
* Many Ways to 100 by Betsy Franco
* Miss Bindergarten Celebrates the 100th Day of Kindergarten by Joseph Slate
* The American Story: 100 True Tales from American History by Jennifer Armstrong (Note: Some of you may wish to scan this one on your own before you give it to your kids. There are some tales that may be disturbing to young children.)
* Young Cam Jansen and the 100th Day of School Mystery by David Adler
WRITING
* Handwriting: Make a list of 100_____. This could be animals, places, numbers, anything you decide. You could also write 100 words that start with a vowel or 100 words that come before kangaroo in the dictionary.
* Help mom blog about the 100th day by writing about your favorite things you did to celebrate. How about writing about your least favorite 100th day things, too?
* Journal entry: I am 100% _______ (excited, scared, mad...) about __________ (going to the dentist tomorrow, having my friend over this afternoon...)
* Story starters: There once was a dragon with 100 teeth... There once was a girl with 100 brothers...There once was a dog with 100 fleas...There once was a rabbit with 100 carrots...
*Journal: Make a list of 5 things your parents must have told you a hundred times.
GRAMMAR AND OTHER LANGUAGE ARTS
* Find at least 100 mistakes in this letter I've written to you.
* Parts of speech practice: Write 10 proper nouns, 20 common nouns, 20 action verbs, 10 helping verbs, 10 pronouns, 20 adjectives, and 10 interjections (100 total).
* Put these 100 words in alphabetical order.
MATH
* How high can you count in 100 seconds? Or how many seconds does it take you to count to 100?
* Fill in the missing numbers on a 100 chart.
* Sort and graph these 100 M&Ms (or Skittles, or Fruit Loops).
* Make a 100 cm line and a 100 inch line. Compare.
* How tall is 100 inches. Do people grow to be that tall?
* The 100th day is a great opportunity to practice decimals.
* What number is 1/4 of 100? 1/2 of 100?
* Find people in your acquaintance whose ages exactly equal 100.
* Estimate which weighs more--100 _____ or 100 _____. (This could be pieces of cereal, paperclips, etc.) Weigh and record to check your estimate.
* Put these 1-100 number cards in order.
* Find out how many _____ you could buy with $100.
* Pretend you have been given $100 to help someone else. Make a list of things you could do or buy.
* Complete this list of 100 math facts.
Note: Some of these ideas are ones that I collected when I was teaching in the classroom. Others are new ones that we've added this year.
* Read a book with more than 100 pages.
* Work together as a group to read more than 100 pages.
* Read today for 100 minutes.
* How many 100 point books can you read and test on bookadventure.com?
* There is a sampling of books you may be able to get from your library:
* 100 Monsters in My School by Bonnie Bader
* 100 Ways to Celebrate 100 Days by Bruce Goldstone
* The 100th Day of School by Angela Shelf Medearis
* 100th Day Worries by Margery Cuyler
* 98, 99, 100, Ready or Not, Here I Come by Teddy Slater
* Counting Our Way to the 100th Day by Betsy Franco
* Emily's First 100 Days of School by Rosemary Wells
* Jake's 100th Day of School by Lester Laminack
* Many Ways to 100 by Betsy Franco
* Miss Bindergarten Celebrates the 100th Day of Kindergarten by Joseph Slate
* The American Story: 100 True Tales from American History by Jennifer Armstrong (Note: Some of you may wish to scan this one on your own before you give it to your kids. There are some tales that may be disturbing to young children.)
* Young Cam Jansen and the 100th Day of School Mystery by David Adler
WRITING
* Handwriting: Make a list of 100_____. This could be animals, places, numbers, anything you decide. You could also write 100 words that start with a vowel or 100 words that come before kangaroo in the dictionary.
* Help mom blog about the 100th day by writing about your favorite things you did to celebrate. How about writing about your least favorite 100th day things, too?
* Journal entry: I am 100% _______ (excited, scared, mad...) about __________ (going to the dentist tomorrow, having my friend over this afternoon...)
* Story starters: There once was a dragon with 100 teeth... There once was a girl with 100 brothers...There once was a dog with 100 fleas...There once was a rabbit with 100 carrots...
*Journal: Make a list of 5 things your parents must have told you a hundred times.
GRAMMAR AND OTHER LANGUAGE ARTS
* Find at least 100 mistakes in this letter I've written to you.
* Parts of speech practice: Write 10 proper nouns, 20 common nouns, 20 action verbs, 10 helping verbs, 10 pronouns, 20 adjectives, and 10 interjections (100 total).
* Put these 100 words in alphabetical order.
MATH
* How high can you count in 100 seconds? Or how many seconds does it take you to count to 100?
* Fill in the missing numbers on a 100 chart.
* Sort and graph these 100 M&Ms (or Skittles, or Fruit Loops).
* Make a 100 cm line and a 100 inch line. Compare.
* How tall is 100 inches. Do people grow to be that tall?
* The 100th day is a great opportunity to practice decimals.
* What number is 1/4 of 100? 1/2 of 100?
* Find people in your acquaintance whose ages exactly equal 100.
* Estimate which weighs more--100 _____ or 100 _____. (This could be pieces of cereal, paperclips, etc.) Weigh and record to check your estimate.
* Put these 1-100 number cards in order.
* Find out how many _____ you could buy with $100.
* Pretend you have been given $100 to help someone else. Make a list of things you could do or buy.
* Complete this list of 100 math facts.
Note: Some of these ideas are ones that I collected when I was teaching in the classroom. Others are new ones that we've added this year.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Preparing for the 100th day of school
The kids and I are making a huge list of activities to do across the subject areas to celebrate our 100th day of school. We'll post that as soon as it's done.
I know that some of you don't live in a state where you are required to keep track of the number of days your school is in session.
But that doesn't mean that you can't find a reason to celebrate how far you've come! You could celebrate the 100th day of the year 2011. (Your kids can count what day that occurs starting with 1-1-11.) Or maybe one of your family birthdays is about 100 days from now. You could celebrate the 100th day then.
In any event, we've always looked forward to celebrating our 100th day because it's such a milestone. (And because we need something to look forward to during this cold after-Christmas season.)
See you soon!
I know that some of you don't live in a state where you are required to keep track of the number of days your school is in session.
But that doesn't mean that you can't find a reason to celebrate how far you've come! You could celebrate the 100th day of the year 2011. (Your kids can count what day that occurs starting with 1-1-11.) Or maybe one of your family birthdays is about 100 days from now. You could celebrate the 100th day then.
In any event, we've always looked forward to celebrating our 100th day because it's such a milestone. (And because we need something to look forward to during this cold after-Christmas season.)
See you soon!
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Christmas Countdown--Christmas Eve
We'll finish our countdown readings with Matthew 27:11-26 and John 19:16-20, 28-30 (Jesus before Pilate, crucifixion, death) and Luke 23:50 through 24:1-8 (burial and resurrection).
I'd like to find a chance today to have the kids make butterfly ornaments for the Christmas tree. It would be the perfect way to tie Christmas to Easter and a yearly reminder about the work Christ came to do.
Otherwise, as I posted on Christmas Eve Eve, we'll just enjoy each other today and I'll let them take the lead on what countdown activities they would still like to fit in. There's also church today so we will celebrate the glad tidings there as well.
I'd like to find a chance today to have the kids make butterfly ornaments for the Christmas tree. It would be the perfect way to tie Christmas to Easter and a yearly reminder about the work Christ came to do.
Otherwise, as I posted on Christmas Eve Eve, we'll just enjoy each other today and I'll let them take the lead on what countdown activities they would still like to fit in. There's also church today so we will celebrate the glad tidings there as well.
Christmas Countdown--Christmas Eve Eve
Our devotion today comes from Luke 22:7-23 and Matthew 26:36-50 (Last Supper and arrest). The kids have really been making the connection that these stories show what Christ came here to do, beginning on that very first Christmas. We'll re-read some of their favorite Christmas stories.
Today and tomorrow we're going to celebrate our Christmas countdown by enjoying each other's company. Maybe we'll listen to or watch the Polar Express, maybe we'll do some Christmas crafts, or maybe we'll just be together. In any case, I'm not planning a particular activity for us today.
Today and tomorrow we're going to celebrate our Christmas countdown by enjoying each other's company. Maybe we'll listen to or watch the Polar Express, maybe we'll do some Christmas crafts, or maybe we'll just be together. In any case, I'm not planning a particular activity for us today.
Christmas Countdown--3 Days Until Christmas
The Bible reading for today was Luke 19:28-38 (Palm Sunday) and Luke 22:1-6. We read from Jan Brett's Christmas Treasury. The plan was to drive around town tonight and see everyone's Christmas lights displays, however, some of us aren't very healthy. We'll do that another night.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)