Spoon!!!!! (er) School!!!!!

Sorry...the Tick fan in me...lol.

I *thought* I would have had a better grip this Autumn than last year. Note to self: do not allow the chaos of August to run so far into September. ;)

Though in a way Twirly-Whirly got her start on First Grade back on September 4th when she began free violin lessons at a local park, we had out first day of instruction on the 19th. It was a lovely beginning sandwiched between some hecticity in our family. 

I drew her a welcome sign, we had  a nice nature walk around the block, did Circle Time, and then she did some copywork (as seen in photo). Since that first day, we have begun GEMS again (AWANA began the week before), and have been back to Friday Fun at the Marsh. We are also doing soccer (ballet will wait till next session), and found out that though our local library is under renovation, they are still holding storytimes so we have added that back to our schedule...which may mean I will need to let go of a Bible study I began in order to have the right amount of time throughout the week for school. (It sorta knocked me off track. I think I will just hope they do the one I signed up for on a Sunday morning someday. Mid-week stuff just doesn't jive for us.)

We also have been busy at some day park days with a homeschool group. Very fun! 

 We have had a few adventures this week too, but I am going to save those for tomorrow to recount...it's late, but I just had to get something posted!

On the Eve of First Grade

We open our school~house Thursday when the Boo-man goes back, We generally spend our first week of school getting the place in order after a month of the menfolk being home. ;)

We are keeping 1st grade fairly simple too somewhat along Waldorf-Charlotte Mason lines. 

ABCs with the Flower Fairies and Beatrix Potter. Lots of storytelling and read-alouds too, of course.

123s with Gnomes and Gnumbers. Also Living Math for math history.

Copywork from a Christian copybook program.

History with A Child's History of the World (used by Calvert Christian Schools).

Art with Little Lambs (Christ-centered)..this along with the art activities from Waldorf which includes wet-on-wet watercolor, block crayon drawing, and modeling clay fun.

Music is penny whistle, ocarina, and violin (we got hooked up with a free violin lesson program.)

Foreign Language is some easy-peasy Latin booklets plus a preschooler French program (we'll be using Memoria Press Latin books and Hey Andrew! Greek in 2nd grade next year.

Phys Ed is yoga and a kids gym kit during the week and soccer on Saturdays in the fall and ballet on Sats in the Spring. (Twirly-Whirly has aged out of her weekday classes.) and potentially ice skating on 3rd Tues of the month....there is a homeschool skate day. Oh, and we may also be joining a kids ballroom dance class in the near future (or spring whichever occurs first....lol.)

Nature study/science is Friday Fun at the Marsh on alternate Fridays.

Handwork is finger knitting, hand-sewing, and chopstick needle felting.

Domestic Arts is cleaning our house, cooking, gardening, and keeping chickens (potentially..still not a done deal.)

Bible study is a girl's devotional.

Clubs: GEMS (Girls Everywhere Meeting the Savior) on Mon eves.
          Awanas on Wed eves
          Hearth Keepers at Home (1st Fri/3rd Thurs)...I may reduce this to once a month
          all of the above are Christ-centered.

          SpiralScouts...a non-exclusive alternative scouting program so she and her special 

           needs brother together can have a scouting experience. 
           We are making our own group so we can do it any
          time we want...no day commitments! :)

Meet-ups: 3rd Tuesdays at the  Botanical Gardens there is a homeschool meet-up.

That covers it pretty well. Sounds like a lot but it's actually less involved to do than to write out! Lol!

Oh and I plan to use our CC materials for memory work. Almost completely forgot to mention that!


"It's never too late to have a happy childhood."