Homeschool Enrichment

I’ve shared in the past how we fit in all the homeschool extras. Extras beyond the 3 Rs. Well, they’re really not the extras but the wonderfully enriching parts of our days. Those things the children ask, “When are we going to get to do our artist and composer study?”

It about time for an update on these additional subjects now that we are well into this school year. This homeschool enrichment, that used to be ‘just one more thing after lunch’, now stretches out into the afternoon. Some we even pick up in the evening.

A favorite Afternoon Quiet Time spot for youngest girl.

I keep an IKEA basket on the step close to our kitchen table so I can easily reach all those things we enjoy during and after lunch. (The three hole punch sometimes reminds us to put our papers right in our notebook, sometimes not?) This basket is also right in front of our Most Used Bookcase. For a full list of all the enrichment we enjoy together – all ages – please see our Homeschool Curricula 2012-13. Below is a sample of those things we do. Those we’ve enjoyed this week…

Etiquette

One extra we added this year is an etiquette course. 365 Days of lessons. Please. Thank you. Sit down. Eat your peas. Yes ma’am. Manners Made Easy For the Family is one, little pink book packed with Christian etiquette for all 365 days of the year. June Hines Moore, Christian etiquette expert and author, makes lessons easy at just a paragraph or two a day.

I’m sharing a review of both books at The Curriculum Choice today. Please stop by to find out more: Manners Made Easy.

High School

The little pink book we enjoy all together. The Manners Made Easy for Teens my older two read independently. And speaking of the older two studying independently, they have been reading:

• Dr. Gary North’s course: How to Raise Your High School Grades by Half a Point in One Semester
• Do Hard Things (eldest read it and we attended the Do Hard Things conference a couple years ago. Now it is eldest boy’s turn.)
• How to Read a Book 

• I shared about our latest biology lab with Hodgepodgedad – examining pond water – in our nature study entry, How Nature Study Complements High School Biology.

Weekly Family Meeting

We’re continuing to spread our planners out at the kitchen table, pull the family calendar off the kitchen cabinet and discuss the upcoming week. So simple yet so very effective.

Preschool and First Grade

The littlest ones held their own as well! 1. The weather was much cooler this week and the touch of fall reminded us it was scooter time! | 2. Littlest Guy loves to watch Hodgepodgedad. So grateful to my husband for changing the brake pads and more on the family van! | 3. A new Rod & Staff workbook started for Lil’ Buddy – he loves Samuel and Sarah! Plus, practicing handwriting and Bible with a take home page from Sunday School | 4. Balancing teddy bear counters after 1st grader’s Saxon Math lesson | 5. Spontaneous water music  by 1st grade girl | 6. We love Stack the States and discovered more fun versions of the game with a new app update.

Then that kinesthetic learner of mine kept up with not only the duct tape orders from friends but also started a display board of her current favorite books, the Lily series by Nancy Rue.

Tapestry of Grace Year 2

Plus, she was so taken by The Mayflower Compact, she dressed in an era costume and read the compact in old English. A Tapestry of Grace assignment, which leads me to a recap of our history studies…We are still learning about the 13 colonies (do you remember our Hands on Geography for Multiple Ages from the past three weeks?), the Mayflower Compact, Galileo, church history, Pilgrim’s Progress, Colonial Living and more.

Answers in Genesis God’s Design for Science: Machines and Motion

We are continuing to read these lessons – all together – during lunch 2-3 times a week. This unit study curriculum is designed for 1st-8th graders. So there is really something for everyone. This week, in Machines and Motion, we learned about the simple machines: inclined planes and levers. And speaking of science…

Nature

Yes, my children love nature study. But this Mama is finding so much joy in seeing how nature study mixes so easily with high school Apologia biology. We also enjoyed more nature, including a praying mantis and its camouflage – it hung around on the hydrangea for days.

Art

Coming soon a review of Earth Paints! We had an absolutely memory-making day enjoying these rich colors one afternoon on Nana’s new porch! Definitely the homeschool highlight of the week! Plus we enjoyed another time with our Harmony Fine Arts artist and composer studies. Always something we look forward to.

And, of course, we worked on all the regular reading, writing and arithmetic this week. A few are needing some practice with times tables again. 1. wonderful mail day with a package from Christian Book Distributors | 2. Love, love Rod and Staff English – one of 9th grader’s lessons from this week | 3. Playing games while we wait for eldest girl at the orthodontist | 4. Evening family walk and a gorgeous sunset.

Do you get this question? I haven’t in a long while but did – twice – last week. In case you missed it, I shared my answer and my Mama heart in Are Your Children Socialized?

Many thanks to our Friday hostesses!

• Homeschool Mother’s Journal at iHomeschool Network
• Collage Friday hostess Mary at Home Grown Learners
• Jamerrill at Holy Spirit-Led Homeschooling
• Weekly Wrap-Up hostess Kris at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers
• No Fear Homeschool High School at The Daisy Head

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How was your week, friends?