Our Curriculum

Here is a summary of what we will be using for our curriculum this year:

Bible/History -  Adventures in My Father's World

Language Arts - First Language Lessons Level 2 and Primary Language Lessons

Spelling - All About Spelling

Handwriting - Manuscript and Cursive

Math - Singapore

Science - My First Encyclopedia of Science
               Science in the Kitchen
               Science with Air
               Birds, Nests, and Eggs

Art - I Can Do All Things

Music - Introduction to Tchaikovsky and the Nutcracker Suite
             Music Appreciation - Great Composers Study
             Piano Lessons

Foreign Language - Spanish
                               American Sign Language

Home Ec - Cooking - American Grub:  Eats For Kids From All Fifty States

Read Alouds - Squanto, Friend of the Pilgrims
                       The Courage of Sarah Noble
                       On the Banks of the Plum Creek
                       Sarah Whitcher's Story
                       In Grandma's Attic
                       Farmer Boy

Most of the read alouds will be accompanied by lapbooks.

Prep Time

I am not sure where the summer has gone but I suddenly realized this morning that August is just around the corner.  Since August is just around the corner so is..........

School!

Whether you home school like we do or send your kids to public or private school, there is a lot of prep work required.  Supplies must be inventoried and bought.  Clothes must be gone through and lists made for fall and winter clothes to be bought.

Currently I am working on making breakfasts easier.  When Arthur was growing up there was a breakfast rotation.  I am thinking about doing something like that here at Fanno Creek Lodge and Academy.

One of the websites that I have been looking at is Homemaking Organized.  There are many great suggestions on there for simple and easy homemaking tips.  Currently I have been looking at the 5 Quick  Breakfast Plans that are listed there.  I will have to do some adjusting since one of the recommendations is scrambled eggs.  Also suggested are smoothies.  We love smoothies but not in the cooler months of the year.

Here is a list of what I am initially going to begin with:

Monday: Smoothies
Tuesday: Granola
Wednesday: Eggs either scrambled or hard boiled  (this will work because quite often Arthur does not eat breakfast at home this morning)
Thursday: Yogurt and  Fruit
Friday:  Baked Oatmeal
Saturday:  Quesidallas
Sunday:  Cold cereal or leftover baked oatmeal

What are some of your favorite breakfast items?  Do you have a standing rotation during the school year?  How much do you prep the night before?

Finished First Grade!

We officially finished 1st grade at the beginning of July but there was so much going on that we did not get our end of the year photos taken.  We did go to Spokane and Silverwood Theme Park in Couer d'Alene, Idaho over Father's Day to celebrate a little early although we did not take the camera for that part of the trip. 

Kibi and Dacia Grace found a stage on which to sign some songs for us.

Here they are singing Amazing Grace.

Downtown Spokane has a great River  Front Park with some carnival rides.

Nothing like a little Tilt-a-Whirl after dinner!

Overlook of the Spokane River and the Spokane Falls was breathtaking.

Two very happy girls!

These two girls were so tired of the heat and so ready to go swimming.

Highlights from 1st Grade

Doing research

Reading aloud

Making Grandma's Lentil soup 

Unit - Jacob and Esau

Making Challah Bread

The best Challah Bread EVER!

Celebrating the Sabbath

 Homemade Challah Bread

Prepping for Orange Chicken

Recipe from her new Chinese Cookbook for kids

A gift from Auntie Sandy, Uncle Howard and Samantha

Finished Orange Chicken

Our house smelled like a Chinese restaurant that night!

Called Buddha's Delight in the cookbook

We renamed it to Veggie Delight.

Making a tambourine

Unit - Mariam praises God after crossing the Red Sea

Making a basket to collect manna

Unit - God provides manna to the Hebrews in the Wilderness

Finished Manna Basket

Weaving a mat

Unit - Samuel tends the oil lamps in the Tabernacle

Sewing a felt bag

Unit - David takes food to his brothers in battle

David and Goliath battle

Digging out dinosaur fossils

Unit - What an archaeologist does

Close up

They fit together!

1st Grade Timeline

A big part of 1st grade was learning how God worked and continues to work through history.  Here DG is with her almost completed timeline.

God is Good!

Reminded today again of God's goodness!  He is so good!  We may never understand His ways this side of heaven but we can rest in His precious arms knowing that He is fully and completely good.

I was searching for some lyrics to an old gospel hymn when I found this song.......

Come to Jesus
-by Chris Rice

Weak and wounded sinner
Lost and left to die
O, raise your head, for love is passing by
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus and live!

Now your burden's lifted
And carried far away
And precious blood has washed away the stain, so
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus and live!

And like a newborn baby
Don't be afraid to crawl
And remember when you walk
Sometimes we fall...so
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus and live!

Sometimes the way is lonely
And steep and filled with pain
So if your sky is dark and pours the rain, then
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus and live!

O, and when the love spills over
And music fills the night
And when you can't contain your joy inside, then
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus and live!

And with your final heartbeat
Kiss the world goodbye
Then go in peace, and laugh on Glory's side, and
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus and live!

Happy Birthday I-Goo!

Early May brought a visit from I-Goo (aka Elaine, Arthur's eldest sister). 

 Not only did we have wonderful weather for enjoying our back porch ......

but we also celebrated her birthday with her.