Two weeks until vacation! That means today starts our 'Walk-Through-The-Year' part of our Seasons Unit (an idea from KONOS, our Christian Unit Study Curriculum). We've been in January a few days (because I had not gotten the books and movies needed before hand), but will be finishing January off today along with February. It is fun to enjoy seasonal and holiday crafts for the whole year in just two fun-filled weeks! This is a fun summer activity as well (if you just do this project without any additional Math, History, Typing, Language, etc.) to keep your kiddos occupied during your summer break. It would lend itself nicely to help complete your library program objectives if you were to check out all the seasonal books they have and let the kids read them for credit. We're currently doing the library reading program, but I have not sat down to write all the book names on their little bookmarks yet. I think I may type a list up instead of writing to save time.
Below is my rough draft schedule of KONOS activities we have planned for the next two weeks until our vacation begins (some are from the KONOS book and others are my own additions). A few of the days towards the end are lacking in detail. I try and mainly plan detail for just a week at a time... any more than that and I end up re-doing it anyway the next week.
NEXT TWO WEEKS SEASONS UNIT LESSON PLANS
EVERY DAY
Math - 2 worksheets
Prayer Journals/Prayer/Bible Reading (if not assigned below) & Drill
Memory Verse work (two verses memorized - one for each week)
Poems/Paintings (read and view online relating to Month of study for the day)
Writing Assignment (if not assigned below)
Reading Library Books (if not assigned below)
Chores
Typing
Family Read Aloud ("The Secret Garden" - 1 or 2 chapters each night)
June 19 (Monday) - JANUARY & FEBRUARY
Look up Love scriptures, use one as a memory verse
Play a Bible game
Take a walk and get a snow cone
Make a MORGAN ornament (red mitten frame) to go with January - birthday
Finish reading books about Ice Skating and Winter Olympics
Watch movies from Netflix on Winter Olympics (these may not come in the mail until later this week...)
Do a president's day activity
Read about St. Valentine
Make a KADEN ornament (heart) to go with February - birthday
Make beaded snowflakes (I got the supplies for this at Wal-Mart Saturday)
Make and eat a Cherry Delight (similar to a cheesecake... I'll put the recipe on Gathering Manna soon, meanwhile check out today's Risotto recipe)
June 20 (Tuesday) - FEBRUARY & MARCH
Leftovers from previous day's activities
Read about St. Patrick and Ireland
Enchanted Learning about Ireland/St. Patrick (worksheets, activities)
Wear Green
Make a mini Kite ornament for the season tree
Watch Mary Poppins
Sing "Let's Go Fly a Kite"
Go fly a kite in the park with Daddy
June 21 (Wednesday) - APRIL
Read "Proserpine" in Scott Foresman p.42 (not sure what this is, but I have an email in to ask the question to the KONOS reps)
Visit a local plant nursery to look at flowers/bulbs/seeds (pick up sunflower seeds)
Sing rain songs & listen to them
Learn about track skills & practice them at the local high school track
Make a rainy day activity can and fill it with ideas
Make a mini umbrella for seasons tree
Write a Rain Haiku Poem
Do spring cleaning (Good time to Clean Heart - Clean Home Challenge)
June 22(Thursday) - MAY
Make a mini flower or Easter Cross for the season tree
Read mother's day poems, Read Proverbs 31
Paint a water-color flower scene (like my mom's Holland flower fields tapestry)
Study about Easter traditions and where they came from
Make natural dyes and do an egg craft (saw a cute one in a magazine making little pigs from the empty eggs - need to find the article)
Sing "Up From the Grave He Arose!" and "He Lives!"
Study about animal babies
Read the Easter Story in the Bible
June 23 (Friday) - JUNE
Read devotional about Father's role in a family out of "Home Making" by J.R. Miller
Make a June wild-flower arrangement (handy since it happens to be June)
Plant sunflower seeds
Make lemonade
Make a sun ornament for the season tree
Read Ecclesiastes about toil in the sun
Practice baseball or read "Casey at the Bat"
Sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame"
Look at family reunion photos - mail a card to a family member
Listen to Porgy & Bess' "Summertime"
Have a picnic and drink your lemonade
June 24 (Saturday) - JULY
March to "Stars & Stripes Forever"
Sing the Star Spangled Banner
Make a mini flag ornament for the season tree
Read about American Revolutionary War
Go fishing and cook-out (possibly with a friend here)
Sing campfire songs
Eat strawberry shortcake
Read about fireflies
Listen to Roy Rogers campfire songs (Blue Shadows and Pecos Bill are on Melody Time - see link below)
Make a packing list for our July 4 vacation (pack our red-white-and-blue swimsuits)
June 25 (Sunday) - NO SCHOOL
June 26 (Monday) - AUGUST
Read about Scuba Diving and Surfing
Watch surfing movie (not sure - any suggestions?)
Listen to the Beach Boys
Study about shells (need library books)
Bible verse ??? Not sure yet...
Make a tiny shell ornament for season tree
Eat watermelon and make yogurt popsicles
Make summer cards for friends that lives far away
June 27 (Tuesday) - SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER
Sing "School Days" and listen to "Autumn Leaves" by Roger Williams (Piano)
Make leaf ornament for season tree
Make a school days collage (photos from each school year)
Make pumpkin bread and other fall recipes
Make a mini school or pumpkin ornament (haven't decided on exactly what or which)
Learn about nuts (need library books)
Read book about why we don't celebrate Halloween
Write an autumn poem
Bible verse?
June 28 (Wednesday) - NOVEMBER
Make a Mum corsage, read about Football (need library books)
Draw a cornucopia
Thanksgiving crafts/ideas online/magazines
Thanksgiving foods (cook a mini Turkey Dinner)
Fall books from library (and poetry)
Thankfulness verses in Bible
List our blessings (make a blessings tree?)
June 29 (Thursday) - DECEMBER
Christmas songs
Learn to wrap a gift
Have a second try at making Gingerbread Men
Learn about evergreen trees
Read 'The Night Before Christmas'
Discuss Christmas traditions globally
Study the Santa legend and story behind St. Nicholas
Do a nativity play
Make a baby Jesus ornament for season tree
Make Mom and Dad birthday frame ornaments for season tree
June 30 (Friday) - LEFTOVERS
Finish any projects needing to be completed from last two weeks
Hang all ornaments on season tree
Take photo of season tree
Finish packing for trip and help with laundry (falls under spring cleaning, right?)
July 1 (Saturday) - NO SCHOOL
Pack snacks and camera
Feed the cat and give key to friends
Gas up, Load vehicle
Pick up Daddy early at work, eat lunch out
Head for TEXAS! YEEEHAW.
Ok... I'll have to come back in later to edit this post. Math is over and the kids need me to start on those snowflakes before we head to the snow cone stand!
I may be a little tied up for a while, but will try and get in here daily if I can. God bless and have a super Monday!
Buzz Words: Summer School, Busy, Lesson Plans, Traditions, Enrichment, Food, Vacation, Activities, Summer, Learning, Homeschool, Unit Studies, Fun, Texas, Holiday, Parenting, Children, Crafts, Year, Seasons
June 19, 2006
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5 comments:
I just want to post to say how wonderful that sounds. My son is only 13 months but I'm already looking forward to this kind of thing.
My husband is a bit ambivalent about homeschooling but I really think it is something that could be good for our family. Do you have any good sites that could help me nudge him in my direction?
What a great idea! Thanks for sharing it. I was thinking of just taking July off since school here starts at the beginning of August. We have had three weeks of VBS so we need some time to sleep in again. Sue in Orlando FL
Lauren - I would highly suggest buying the book "Power of a Praying Wife" if you don't already have it. My husband used to be in the same boat. It was certainly God who moved in his heart to change our children's destiny. I never imagined he could be so "on the bandwagon" with homeschooling. Trust me, there's no other advice better than pouring your heart out for the sake of your children to God and watching Him work miracles in your husband's heart. Whatever happens, though - you can't do it alone and it would be awful if you did it without his blessing. There's no peace unless you are both backing eachother and building eachother up in the Lord. I'd be glad to email you some of my saved links for you to read (about socialization, etc.) if you want. Just email me and mention what it's about. :)
Sue - Glad to help. Summers can get boring for the kids if you don't have anything planned. Konos is not like school. My kids would do it all year without a break and never complain. They beg me to do it BEFORE Math every day. Our rule is that they have to get their chores done and be to 'school' on time or Math comes first for the day. It is a great motivator for them and helps me get things done quicker.
I should be sleeping right now, as a matter of fact... Way too much activity and sugar for me today!
Proserpine is the Roman version of the Greek mythical Persephone.
You could probably pick any myth collection you like rather than using the one they mention.
Love the idea of the season tree. This is something that could happen throughout the year too, with ornaments involving pictures from what's happened that year, to celebrate the next New Year's Day. Hmm... something to think about for next January. Who am I kidding -- I can't think through next week! :) :) :)
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