Autumn Thoughts
Autumn for school is simply the best. It is a fresh start and that is always wanted (and needed!). I am amazed constantly at how the kids are growing up. Each year they get more and more independent which is exciting but I know time is going by so quickly. This season I have been doing my best to live in the moment and just cherish this sweet time we have every day together.
The last couple years we have gotten into some not ideal habits and so this season we have been working hard to switch those out with some better ones. I feel like we are definitely making progress to get back to where we would like to be. There is always more to do, but the schoolhouse is good!
FAMILY
Come Follow Me
I can’t believe how fast this year has gone in The Book of Mormon and that we are almost finished. We have learned so much and had the most amazing discussions this year.
Out bullet points of goodness:
- I Will Follow the Prophet
- I Can Repent
- Because of Christ, I Can Be of Good Cheer
- I Can Hear God’s Voice
- I Can Be an Example of Christ
- The Sacrament
- Tithing Opens the Windows of Heaven
- Happiness Comes from Following Jesus
- I Will Follow Jesus, Even If I Am the Only One
- Jesus Is a God of Miracles
- I Can Receive Revelation
- The Lord Will Guide Me
- Jesus Can Help Me Turn My Weaknesses into Strengths
Extra Resources: Come Follow Me – For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 // The Red Headed Hostess Subscription
History
This autumn, Benjamin joined us in history! We are so excited to have him “officially” be a part of our history lessons. We learned about the Revolutionary War, which is one of my favorite eras of history (that feels not right to say that, but hopefully you know what I mean). The hand of the Lord is found so frequently throughout that time of history.
We focused on the sacrifices of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and the principles found within that document. We, of course, learned a lot about General George Washington. We learned about the Battle of Trenton, Valley Forge, and the alliance with France that was so critical. Jacob and I did a little mini deep dive into the Articles of Confederation. And then we spoke of the end of the Revoluationary War and the blessings of a constitutional democratic republic.
Curriculum: The Good and the Beautiful History: Year 1
Science
This autumn we completed another health unit, this time focusing on the human mind. It was our first time doing anything like this and it was fascinating. I think we all really enjoyed it.
Topics we covered included:
- The Human Mind and Nervous System
- The Brain
- Eyes and Vision
- Ears and Hearing
- Mouth and Taste
- Smell and the Nose
- The Brain Stem
- Memory and Emotions
- Social Health
- Emotional Health
- Connecting with Nature <– I LOVE that this was included!
- Healthy Habits
Curriculum: The Good and the Beautiful Science: Health and the Human Mind
Music Appreciation
Jacob and Sarah have continued their music appreciation. This is mostly hands off for me but they seem to really like it. This autumn they have been learning about Mozart.
Curriculum: Music Appreciation Book 1
Art
Sarah and Benjamin started a new art program this year from Artistic Pursuits. So far, I am really enjoying it . It’s a mix of videos and a resource book. They have been working with watercolor crayons and have done several wonderful projects. I like that the program teaches how but then the actual projects are very personal – they get to do whatever feels good to each of them.
They’ve learned how artists compose, imagine, observe, and communicate. They’ve looked at art history and learned how to mix colors with their watercolor crayons. It’s been a great addition!
Curriculum: Artistic Pursuits: Building a Visual Vocabulary
JACOB – Seventh Grade
Language Arts
Jacob is a really wonderful student. He is so good at getting himself going and working hard. Here is what he has been focusing on in the realm of language arts this autumn:
- Juding Books & How to Measure the Worth of Books
- Parts of Speech
- Helping Verbs
- Verb Phrases
- Subjects
- Predicates
- Direct & Indirect Objects
- Commas in a Series
- Types of Sentences
- Independent and Dependent Clauses
- Phrases
- Sentence Diagramming
- Proper Nouns
- Prepositional Phrases
- Commas with Nonessential Phrases
- Paraphrasing Information
- Avoiding Plagiarism
- Quotation Punctuation
- Diagramming Imperative Sentences
- Latin and Greek Roots
- Commas with Dependent Clauses
- Sentence Structures
- Conjunctions
- Note Taking
- Comma Rules
- Benefits of Connecting with Nature
- Capitalization in Titles
- Citing Sources
- Than vs. Then
- Perspective
- Semicolons
For geography, he has been learning about:
- States, Counties, and Cities
- Regions of the United States
- Pennsylvania
- Relief Maps
- Appalachian Mountains
In art, he has worked on line art. He also looked at some Appalachian Landscapes by artist Walt Curlee. He learned about different styles of drawing and drew different styles of trees. He has also learned about the German painter, Caspar David Friedrich and Romanticism. He also drew a landscape using hatching.
For literature, he has learned about the author, Homer Greene and is reading The Blind Brother.
In writing, we have focused on avoiding wordiness and redundancy. He has also learned about essay writing, writing a thesis statement, what the body of an essay should look like, and styles of writing. He ended this autumn by writing an essay on nature.
Curriculum: The Good and the Beautiful Language Arts: Level 7
Read Aloud and Handwriting
Jacob has been listening to The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle while he does his handwriting. He is in his last year of handwriting and his cursive is still the best! I wish he would write in it all the time!
Curriculum: The Good and the Beautiful Handwriting: Level 7
Math
Jacob has been working so hard in math. He is definitely getting into more and more intense material but has been doing so well. This autumn he has been working on:
- Writing Decimals, Estimating, and Rounding
- Upside Down Division and Prime Factorization
- Simplifying Fractions with Prime Factors
- Multi-Digit Division
- Coverting Between Fractions and Decimals
- Adding and Subtracting Integers
- Multiplying and Dividing Integers
- Multiplying and Dividing Fractions
- Complex Fractions
- Adding and Subtracting Fractions
- Adding and Subtracting Decimals
- Multiplying and Dividing Decimals
- Positive Exponents
- Negative Exponents
- Properties of Real Numbers
- Expanded Notation with Exponents
- Scientific Notation
- Operations with Numbers in Scientific Notation
- Absolute Value and Coordinate Planes
- Order of Operations
- Simplifying Expressions
- Evaluating Expression
- Writing Expressions
- Writing Equations
Curriculum: The Good and the Beautiful Math 7
Typing
A couple years ago, I had Jacob go through all three levels of The Good and the Beautiful typing program. Honestly, I did now love it then but couldn’t find another program that I liked better. Jacob’s typing was okay but in today’s world I knew how valuable this skill is to master.
Luckily, I stumbled across this program that we are really enjoying. I have already seen great improvement and it gives instant feedback on how he is doing. Very much recommend it!
Resource: Typing Club
Creative Writing
Jacob is quite the writer. He loves writing his own stories. He takes his writing pretty seriously so we are moving real slow through his workbook. But I don’t really mind because he is going above and beyond everything with his writing and that is great!
Curriculum: The Good and the Beautiful Creative Writing Notebook #2
Drawing with Graphite
Jacob also started a new art program and this year he is learning how to draw with graphite pencils. This autumn he focused on line and space. I am really liking how the units are organized. He watches a video that goes over the art materials and how to use them. Then there is a “creativity” lesson followed by an art appreciation/history lesson. Finally, he applies everything together for a project.
Resource: Artistic Pursuits Art Core 1: Drawing with Graphite Pencils
Weathering Your Emotions
Jacob has been working on this notebook for awhile now. I think it has been really helpful for all of my kids. It has been a great resource and one that I definitely recommend.
Resource: Weathering Your Emotions Journal
Piano & Recorder
I mentioned in the spring how we had entered a new sphere of beauty with Jacob’s piano playing and it has just continued. He has come SO FAR. I love listening to him play.
This autumn, he also started learning how to play the recorder. I don’t have quite the same fondness for the recorder as I do the piano, but he has really enjoyed it.
Resource: Faber Piano Adventures: Level 2B
SARAH – Fourth Grade
Language Arts
Sarah continues her legacy of being an absolute joy to teach. I am feeling bittersweet about her growing up this year. Fourth grade is when we start to transition to a lot more independent work and I will miss my time with her. But I also know she is completely ready for that next stage, too.
She had just a little bit left in her Level 3 book this autumn, so she finished that up. She focused on:
- The Comparative and the Superlative
- Dictionaries
- Varying Sentence Beginnings and Lengths
In geography, she learned about Alaska.
And we learned about some folktales and did a Reader’s Theater. She also did a book report.
Then she went right into her Level 4 book. This is when she switched and started to do her language arts on her own. She is doing so well! So far she has learned about:
- Creativity
- Good Books
- Sentence Diagramming
In geography, she has learned about:
- Cardinal Directions
- Italy
- Venice
- The Mediterranean
- Tuscany
In this level in art, she is learning about pastels. She has learned some pastel techniques. She has also learned about the artist Carl Frederik Aagaard. She did a beautiful pastel project of an Italian Countryside.
Curriculum: The Good and the Beautiful Language Arts: Level 3 // The Good and the Beautiful Language Arts: Level 4
Read Aloud and Handwriting
Sarah is doing really well with her handwriting. She had a little bit left in her Level 3 workbook and has now moved into her Level 4. She is enjoying learning cursive. We finished Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling and we are now reading The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pene du Bois.
Curriculum: The Good and the Beautiful Handwriting: Level 3 // The Good and the Beautiful Handwriting: Level 4
Math
Sarah continues to plug along in math. This autumn she learned about:
- Adding and Subtracting Fractions with the Same Denominator
- Number Patterns
- Subtraction Across Zeros
- Perimeter
- Multiplation: Factor Pairs
- Multiples of Numbers
- Multiplying by Multiples of 10, 100, and 1,000
- Ounces, Pounds, and Tons
- Area
- Multiplication: Two-Digit by One-Digit Numbers
- Negative Numbers and Temperature
- Grams and Kilgrams
- Volume
- Multipliation: Two-Digit by One-Digit Numbers with Regrouping
- Multiplication Story Problems
- Adding Money with Three Addends
- Multiplying Money
- Using Multiplication to Find Area
- Adding and Subtracting Mixed Numbers with Common Denominators
Curriculum: The Good and the Beautiful Math 3
Typing
Last year, I had Sarah do the first level of The Good and the Beautiful typing program. Like Jacob, I just wasn’t loving it and didn’t feel like Sarah was actually learning how to type. I am so grateful I found this new program that both her and Jacob are flourishing in.
Resource: Typing Club
Drawing
Sarah is doing beautifully in drawing. She does a really good job!
Resource: The Good and the Beautiful Draw Vintage Images Level 4
Nature Journal
One of Sarah’s Friday fun activities is doing her nature journal. Sarah is my nature loving gal and so this is a total win for her. She’s been working on it for a year or so and it’s a great little addition.
Resource: The Good and the Beautiful Nature Journal
Piano & Recorder
Sarah is continuing to do really well with piano. She was also really excited to start learning the recorder as well with Jacob.
Resource: Faber Piano Adventures: Level 2A
BENJAMIN – Second Grade
Language Arts
Oh goodness, this boy. I truly am so proud of him. Language arts is a struggle for him. There has been a lot of tears from both of us over the years. But I felt like in October he really started turning a corner. I feel like his attitude about learning is better and he is starting to pick up on things quicker. He is about a full year behind where I would like him to be, but we are just putting one step in front of the other and we are getting there. We are moving at the pace that works for him and I am okay with that. Honestly, I just want him to love learning. That is my end goal, so the better attitude is a much greater win to me than anything academic.
This autumn he focused on:
- Sneaky E
- Syllables
- EA
- OR
- Homophones
- Writing a Sentence
- OO
- Spelling Words with OO
- Two-Syllable Words
- Plural Words
- OU and OW
Curriculum: The Good and the Beautiful Language Arts: Level 1
Read Aloud & Handwriting
Ben was able to finish his Level 1 handwriting workbook and was excited to move onto Level 2. At this point, we are just refining and continuing to work on correct print formation.
While he wrote, we finished reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling and Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder.
Curriculum: The Good and the Beautiful Handwriting: Level 1 // The Good and the Beautiful Handwriting: Level 2
Math
Ben continues to work right along in his math. This autumn, he focused on:
- Subitizing
- Subtraction
- Writing Numbers to 60
- Place Value
- Pennies, Nickles, and Dimes
- Doubles Addition
- Writing Cents to 25
- Addition Stories
- Pairs
- Counting On
- Calendars
- Writing Four, Five, and Six
- Subtraction Stories
- One Less and One More
- Fact Families
- Identifying Shapes
- Hundreds Chart
- Counting in the Hundreds
Curriculum: The Good and the Beautiful Math: Level 1
Science
Ben and I made a goal to push a lot harder in science this autumn. We definitely improved a lot but we still have a ways to go. We are continuing to work in his unit about Fields and Flowers. This autumn, he learned about:
- Mosquitoes
- Beetles
- Worms
- Crustaceans
- Slithery Snakes
- Grasshoppers and Crickets
- Lizards
- Ladybugs
- Dragonflies
- Fireflies
Curriculum: The Good and the Beautiful Science: Fields and Flowers
Drawing
Ben has been a drawing master this autumn! He finished up his Level 1 workbook and is crusing through his Level 2. I am so grateful that my kiddos have such a love for art.
Resource: The Good and the Beautiful Draw Vintage Images Level 1 // The Good and the Beautiful Draw Vintage Images Level 2
Piano
Benjamin has finally started piano! He was really excited to start. It’s been a slow go but that is okay!
Resource: Faber Piano Adventures Primer
LYDIA – Kindergarten
All Aboard the Animal Train
Lydia is such a joy. Truly, every single person needs a Lydia in their life. Lydia is the heart and soul of our schoolhouse. This autumn, she and I have been continuing to work through her preschool curriculum.
This autumn we focused on bears, obedience, and the color BLACK. We’ve read lots of book about bears, sang songs, and focused on all the black things. I am still trying to get better at using her AAC device. I don’t know why it is so difficult for me, but I am having a hard time with it. Mostly, I just love spending time with my girl.
Curriculum: My Father’s World: All Aboard the Animal Train
Koala Crates
We’ve also been doing a lot more with her Koala Crates. We have quite the stock pile at the moment and it is fun to work with her on the projects.
Resource: Kiwi Crates: Koala
Physical, Occupational, and Music Therapy
Lydia combines these three therapies which makes for a pretty exhausting mega-session, but they all compliment one another really well. The music distracts Lydie from her physical therapy – and occupational gets sprinkled in with it all.
Speech Therapy
We decided to switch to a different speech therapy program and it was a good move. While we liked her speech therapist before, she had never worked with an AAC device and so we really weren’t making any progress. This new place is great with that. Although, it does make our therapy schedule a little more complicated.
Horse Therapy
Continues to be an absolute win. Lydie is getting stronger and stronger and we are so grateful for this program!
Massage Therapy
We call this “reward time”. Lydie has most of her therapies on the same day (it’s not ideal, but it is what is needed to maintain some balance for our other kiddos). So she is pretty wiped out when they are all over. Luckily for her, she gets to come home and then have her massage therapist come over for an hour. She falls asleep pretty frequently but we are just happy she gets some relaxation time. Plus, we love her therapist so much!
Final Thoughts
This autumn saw a lot of growth for these kiddos. I think this winter we are going to continue to work on some better habits and mindsets and keep moving forward. This time together is so special and I am so grateful.
