Homeschooling at Hospitality Lane: January 2009

Friday, January 30, 2009

Teaching Music is fun!

It is!

If you use tools.

I was introduced to some videos
of Victor Borge recently.

Yesterday, at Co-op, I shared some
clips with my 4-6th grade music class.

We are learning about classical music.

I have a master vocabulary list that I
am working from each week. For the term,
Aria, I found a very funny clip of Victor
and a soprano named Marilyn. He is so funny
and she plays along so well. The kids loved
it and it will stick in their heads so much
longer than if I had given a twenty minute
lecture on the Aria...

If you are needing some music inspiration,
I highly recommend this.

You will all laugh!

Note: I did preview and pick and choose.
Nothing he does is horrible...but depending
on the age...some of it is suggestive.

Have an awesome day today and a great weekend!

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Great Article

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

If they Would Only Follow Directions....

This week has been one of frustration
and fun all at the same time.

We are working on a math concept that
should not be that difficult. In fact,
it would not be if the kids would only
bend their pride and follow my directions.

They are intent on doing the processes
we are working on in their heads. Not
only does this take the fun out of it but
it leads to frequently wrong answers.

Oh, my how often do we do this in our
daily lives. Attempt to shortcut and
"know better"?

God has given us all of the instruction that
we need. It is all in a very handy and
easy to follow instruction manual...it is
called The Bible. But how often do we turn
to the instructions as a last resort...

Sad. But true.

I am working on learning from the object
lesson provided from our homeschool week.

Turning to the manual...

Learning from the Master Instructor!

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Watching the Inauguration....

...and praying for safety for
all involved.

History is surely being made today.

May the Leaders of this Country,
The United States of America,
truly seek after God's Heart.

For we are founded on the Principles
that it is "In God we Trust!"

Blessings on your day today.

Becky

Monday, January 12, 2009

We Are Back...

We basically took 3 weeks during Christmas and New Year's away from formal learning.

Today we got back to it. Math for all, History too. Right now we are studying Medieval History, pre- Reformation. It is soooo interesting. Lindsay and Emily did a writing activity from The Word Artist and Rachel did some copy work. For Bible we have our family Bible Study, Apologetics in our Sunday School Class, Friday nights at church...the kids are always creating, cooking, playing music so it is a natural part of our day. They also are always reading...Emily is knitting, Lindsay is working with my Dad's horse to get her to load on our trailer, so that she can be taken for trail rides....

I like our learning to flow out of our family life. That makes it a natural way to learn and much more applicable to every day life!

Deanna

Friday, January 9, 2009

Our Most Recent School Days...

Some history by way of the HBO
movie, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee...
too much for Chelsea...but the boys
and I really got a lot out of it.

Chelsea went and worked on her
writing while we watched this.

More History by way of another
Movie...Anne of Green Gables.
We are watching the third in the
series. This one is about WWI.

Literature, Bible and Vocabulary
come from In His Steps by
Charles M. Sheldon.
We are doing a unit study on this
book.

Math. I am making worksheets
from the internet to do review of
the basics. We have also been enjoying
the process of learning more about
Order of Operation.

Unfortunately, we have decided to
basically ditch Teaching Textbooks
for now. I say unfortunately because
they were great for me...the kids did
them on their own. I found, however, that
they were just going through the process
and not really learning.

Oh well, what works for some...does not work
for all. We also had the issue of not having
enough daily computer time for all three to get
their lessons done.

The classes in Apologetics continue and science
goes on in various forms. Each child is at a
different place on the Science subject.

Chelsea wants to study grammar intensely since
it is her long time goal to be a writer who gets
published one of these days.

The boys continue to work toward their individual
interests basically self-directed with assistance
and support from us.

Thus school goes on....