A Novel Approach to Novel Studies

Since my son is already a proficient reader, I've decided to focus on novel studies during our reading time this year (we also have a language time where we work on grammar & specific reading comprehension skills, as well as a separate writing time).  He really liked a Magic Treehouse book we read at Thanksgiving, so I decided to stick with this series for our novel studies.  For the first 2 we read, he was simply answering questions online for each corresponding chapter he read...simple enough, yet B-O-R-I-N-G.  I decided we needed to spice up our novel study activities and remembered an activity a former colleague used in her classroom....it was a BINGO type board filled with various activities.  The students chose which activities they wanted to complete, the only rule being was that they had to get a BINGO (5 in a row) when they finished.  I took this idea and adapted it, since I didn't feel like he necessarily needed to do 5 items in a row, but wanted to keep the idea of choice for him.


I ended up creating 12 activities that could be used with any Magic Treehouse book, or any book, reallty, if the names are removed.  

Click here for a downloadable copy of my activities

Click here for a downloadable copy of the character map I use

I then cut out each topic and taped it to a 3x5 index card.  I taped the index cards into the inside of a manila folder, 6 activities on each side, so that the cards could be flipped up. 

 After each chapter my son chooses an activity to complete and does so underneath the corresponding index card (unless the card prompts him to complete it somewhere else).  

For the activities that call for him to create something (like the Lego model), we take a picture and then tape it to the backside of the card so that he'll be able to look back at what he did long after the model is deconstructed.

B's Magic Treehouse model made from Trios

So far, we're both really enjoying this novel approach to Novel studies!  I hope that it blesses your family as well!

Blessings from my home to yours!

~K

I'm linking up here:

Wow....It's Been a LONG Time!

So, I've fallen off of the bloggy bandwagon in grand fashion!  :-)  But, I do think I've had (semi) good reason, as there's been many changes in our home over the last several months!  We realized very quickly after the new school year started that things just were not going well for our 6 year old in public school this year.  He's a very bright kid, and an even busier one!  Apparently, those two things don't mesh very well at the school he was in and was resulting in numerous behavior problems for him, to which he always replied with something like, "But mom!  I finished ALL my work and got a smiley face on it.  So why can't I talk and play when I finish???"

I began praying about how to proceed and finally approached my husband with the idea of trying out K12, an online public school option here in our state.  Much to my surprise, he was supportive.   I took his blessing & ran with it, doing all sorts of research, phone calls, etc. But the more research I did, the more restrictive I found the program to be. Kids are expected to work for 6-7 hrs a day, lots of repetition, lots of computer time, very little tailored curriculum....basically public school, but at home.

So again, I prayed and then went to my husband with the thought of "doing it myself". He was supportive and said he trusted my decisions in regards to the kids' schooling, and that as long as they were learning & progressing as they should, I could handle it as I chose. I pulled out lots of my old school stuff and put together a few days worth of work. The week after Thanksgiving we kept him home for a trial run. By Wednesday he was begging to do "school at home" every day & cried when we mentioned going back to school for a few days. I googled & found a homeschool association and quickly joined so we wouldn't be sited for truancy and they handled everything in regards to withdrawing him and getting him "legal" within about 36 hours. They were fabulous.

Things were definitely a little haphazard and bumpy in the beginning as we muddled through our days, waited on curriculum to arrive in the mail, and figured out what worked & didn't work for us, but we've finally settled into a groove.  We're using a modified version of the Sue Patrick's Workbox system, very much like the one used at Confessions of a Homeschooler.  If you've never checked out her blog, do so.  Now.  It's fantabulous.

Oh, and I also quit my preschool position as of January.  It was just impossible to homeschool my son properly being away from home two mornings a week.  As much as I loved getting out of the house a little bit and enjoyed the extra income I was earning for my family, my husband & I believe that my place is at home for now.  There are only a few precious years to spend while the littles are little, and I want to be the main presence in their lives, teaching and guiding them each day.  It's been a blessing to be able to focus on my family and my home so much and I love every minute of it (or at least most minutes of it! lol)

I'll try to get back here soon and post more details of our homeschooling days for anyone that's interested!


Blessings from my home to yours!
~K

Four Week Menu Plan

Things have gotten a bit busy around here with school starting for my 2 oldest, the little guy & I starting pre-school 2 mornings a week, scouts, my MOMs group at church, etc.  I've decided that menu planning and extensive grocery shopping each and every week just consumes too much of my time these days, so I've decided to give planning for 4 weeks at a time a try.  I'll do a big grocery shop once a month.  I'll still stop 1 day a week on the way home from work (pre-school) to hit the loss-leaders for stock up purposes, plus the weekly necessities like fresh produce, milk, & eggs.


Dinners on Mondays are quick, kid-friendly meals since my middle son has scouts and my husband works that night.  Wednesday nights are also quick, kid-friendly ones, as my husband and I go to Couples Trivia night with our church & our daughter babysits the little guys.


Breakfasts (the same each week):
Monday-Muffins & Yogurt
Tuesday-Breakfast sandwiches (usually sausage or bacon with egg & cheese)
Wednesday-oatmeal & fruit (pre-school day)
Thursday-Breakfast sandwiches
Friday-oatmeal & fruit (preschool day)
Saturday-eggs, grits, sausage or bacon, and toast or biscuits
Sunday-Breakfast Biscuits (using leftover meat from Saturday)


Lunches: sandwiches or left-overs.  


Dinners:
Sept 12-pancakes & sausage
13-Mexican cheese steaks, cheese quesadillas (kids), chips & salsa
14-Pizza balls, apple slices (Couples Trivia Night) 
15-Italian Chicken roll-ups, pasta & sauce
16-Hamburgers, home fries, corn on the cob
17-Chicken bacon club sandwiches, salad
18-Roast, rice & gravy, green beans


19-Chicken Noodle Soup, grilled cheese sandwiches
20-Tacos, black bean salad
21-Hot dogs, mac-n-cheese (Trivia night)
22-Asian glazed drumsticks, fried rice
23-Deep dish pizza (homemade), salad
24-homemade chicken tenders, home fries
25-Chicken-n-dumplins


26-Frozen Pizza, fruit
27-Spaghetti & meatballs, salad, garlic bread
28-Corn dogs, tater tots, apple sauce (Trivia night)
29-Sausage & Rice casserole, biscuits, corn
30-Grilled pork chops, Rice-a-Roni, sauteed green beans
Oct 1-Grilled Chicken Caesar salads
2-Honey Glazed Pork Loin, mashed potatoes, peas, rolls 



3-French toast, bacon
4-Sloppy Joes, french fries
5-Chicken nuggets, mac-n-cheese, fruit (Trivia night)
6-Cheesy Bacon Ranch chicken quesadillas, chips & salsa
7-Hamburgers & home fries
8-Mighty Meat Nachos

I'm linking up to Menu Planning Mayhem 

Oh, to have Mary's faith.....

Today I stumbled upon Luke 1:26-55 in my bible reading and was so struck by Mary's faith.  Here she was, a young girl, a virgin about to be married, when she was faced with the seemingly absurd.  An angel came to her and told her that she was to conceive and give birth to a son...the Son of all sons.  Let that absorb in your mind for a moment.  Can you imagine the thoughts going through her head?  Can you imagine how you would feel if faced with the same? Absurdity, nervousness, fear, confusion, questioning my own mental stability are just a few I imagine I would feel.  But not Mary.  Her words struck me to my core and made me realize just how frail my own faith in the Lord is in comparison to hers.  She simply said,

"I am the Lord's servant.  

May everything you have said about me come true"

Wow.  To have Mary's faith and trust in the Lord.  All too often, when I feel myself being lead by the Lord to do big things (or even small things, sometimes, if I'm completely honest), I find myself questioning, giving excuses, trying to reason with God, even arguing at times.  Today I find myself humbled by Mary's unwavering faith and complete trust in God's plan for her life, even when faced by the seemingly impossible.  I am being gently nudged by the Spirit this morning, whom I hear whispering to me, "You can do it too.  You can have big faith too, if only you would trust in God's promises and follow where He leads."  I am comforted and encouraged by the promise found in Luke 1:37

"For nothing is impossible with God" 

NOTHING is impossible with God, no, not a thing when you answer Him with a "Yes, Lord, I am your servant.  Lead me where You will and call me to do what You would have me do.  I am listening and I will be obedient".  I find such comfort in this today, and hope that you are encouraged as well.

Blessings from my home to yours!

~K

I'm linking up to:

Time-Warp Wife's Titus Tuesdays

Preschool Benchmark Assessment

Tomorrow I begin my new job teaching at a church preschool 2 mornings a week!  I have lots of mixed emotions, but my organized, planning self has kicked in and I've been preparing for the past few days.  One of the things I really wanted to do is get a good idea what skills my kids are bringing with them.  Since this is a mixed age group (3s & 4s), I know ability levels are going to be very spread out.  I had a lot of trouble finding a good benchmark assessment online that fit what I was looking for (basic kindergarten readiness skills), so I decided to create my own!  I wanted to share it with you all in case you have a need for it.  I plan on going back and reassessing a various points (probably 3-4 times total) to see how they've grown over the course of the year.  It would be great for you homeschoolers as well!

I'm not a very experienced blogger, so I had trouble figuring out how to go about making the Word document available. I finally settled on a Google Document (since that's all I could figure out!  haha!), but the formatting is really messed up.  If this looks like something you'd like to have, leave your e-mail in the comments section & I'll send you the Word Document!

The Busy at Home Mom's Preschool Benchmark Assessment

Menu Plan Monday ~Sept 5-11

Well, work for me (and pre-school for the little guy) starts Wednesday and I have mixed feelings.  I'm super excited to have found such a great position...only 2 mornings a week for 4 hours, a way to put my degree & experience to good use, FREE pre-school for my 2 1/2 year old who cries "What about meeeeeee!?!?" every time his big sister & brother leave for school, and a way for me to help contribute to our family's budget.  But, on the other hand, I'm nervous about balancing my time effectively & being able to accomplish everything I need & want to do each week.  I don't want to let my housework slip, I don't want to put my husband, children & family time on the back burner, I don't want to slip away from my morning bible & prayer time because I'm hurried and pressed for time.  I'm praying that I'm following God's lead in accepting this position and that it will be a blessing to my family.  Also that God gives me focus, strength, & perseverance to accomplish all that I have on my plate.

Anyway....on to the meal plan!!  With everyone back in school, I'm not planning out breakfasts & lunches in as much detail.  Also, I'm reserving Wednesdays for crock-pot meals & Fridays for Grill night, since those are the days I'm now working.   Hopefully that will help ease the burden some on those days.


Breakfast:
waffles & fruit
pancakes & sausage
sausage biscuits & fruit
cereal
sausage, egg, & cheese english muffins
grits or oatmeal & fruit


Lunch:
PBJ & fruit
ham & cheese sandwiches
chicken salad sandwiches
Chicken nuggets and mac-n-cheese
Leftovers


Dinner:
Monday:  "Almost Homemade" Chicken Pot Pie
Tuesday: Chicken Bacon Ranch quesadillas
Wednesday:  Crock-pot roast, rice, corn
Thursday:  Hillbilly Spaghetti Pie, garlic bread
Friday:  Steaks, baked potatoes, corn on the cob
Saturday:  Chili dogs, french fries
Sunday:  Honey glazed Pork Loin, Rice-a-Roni, Hawaiian Rolls (Sunday Lunch, dinner will be Youth Group Pot Luck)


Blessings from my home to yours!
~K

Menu Plan Monday ~ August 21-27

This is my kids' first full week back to school (11th grade & 1st grade!!) and I'm hoping to get into more of a routine this week.  Last week was crazy & random, and I so crave order & peace!  :)  I have 3 weeks until I go back to work.....just part-time, 2 mornings a week teaching at a local church's pre-school, and I have got to get into a routine before that begins.  My family & my home are a top priority and I am not going to let those things slide because of my work.  One of the biggest reasons I felt the need to stop teaching full-time was that I recognized that my family was only getting what I had "leftover" at the end of the day.....and when you spend all day with 25 7 year old, there isn't always much left!  I was cranky, tired, short, and not very pleasant most nights to my family, and that is not what I desire for them.  THEY are my crowned jewel, THEY should be getting the very best of me.  And while I am thrilled at the opportunity to teach in this capacity (especially since my little guy gets to attend for FREE!) I am committed to doing things very differently.

OK....now that I got that off of my chest.....here's my menu plan!

Sunday:

B:  Turkey sausage biscuits

L:  Ravioli Bake (I added 2 cups of cooked ground beef) & garlic bread 

D:  Youth Group potluck (I host & assist with our church's youth)

Monday:

B:  oatmeal & fresh fruit

L:  Turkey & laughing cow cheese wraps, salad, fresh fruit  Toddler:  leftover ravioli bake, applesauce

D:  Kids: chicken nuggets & leftover white mac-n-cheese,  Me: grilled chicken & roasted veggies, DH (packed work dinner): Sandwich, chips, fruit

Tuesday:

B:  ham, egg & cheese English Muffin sandwich & fresh fruit

L:  Chicken salad sandwiches, fresh fruit  Toddler:  PB&J, yogurt, fruit

D: Italian Chicken Roll-Ups, pasta, salad

Wednesday:

B:  chocolate crepes with strawberries

L:  Turkey & laughing cow cheese wraps, salad, fresh fruit  Toddler:  hot dog, mac-n-cheese, fruit

D: Tacos, Black bean Salad (recipe coming)

Thursday:

B:  ham, egg, & cheese omlets, fruit

L:  taco salad, fresh fruit  Toddler:  spaghetti o's, fruit

D: Asian glazed drumsticks, rice, sauteed veggies  

Friday:

B:  whole grain waffles w/ honey & pecans, fruit

L:  chicken salad sandwiches, fresh fruit  Toddler:  PB&J, yogurt, fruit

D: Family outting to Frankie's Fun Park w/ DHs work - will eat hot dogs & hamburgers there!

Saturday:

B:  Turkey sausage & cheese biscuits, grits

L:  BBQ chicken breasts, twice baked potatoes, corn on the cob

D: Kids & Me: leftovers, DH (packed work dinner): turkey brats, pretzels, fruit

Kids' Snacks:  frozen Gogurt, granola bars, fruit, cheese sticks, popcorn

Blessings from my home to yours,
~K

I'm linking up to:

Menu Planning Mahem at Desiring Virtue

Menu Plan  Monday at OrgJunkie