Thoughts this Winter
Was it just me or did this winter FLY by?! I think it probably was just me. I know this winter was brutal for a lot of people weather wise – but it was pretty good to us academically! I felt like we finally got into our groove after months and months of just trying to make it work. It was nice to feel like we could get back into the swing of things! With that said, we had our own bits of sickness (not to be forgotten was RSV for Ben and Lydia), the holidays, and adjusting to a new calling (which has easily been the biggest adjustment for a calling I’ve ever had). It’s had it’s challenges but we’ve had a lot of wins, too!
We are still playing a bit of catch up because of a really rough start. BUT, believe it or not, I am doing better at adjusting my expectations! Little victories!
Family
come follow me
We finished up our study of the Old Testament in December. It was such a sweet experience that I will treasure. I can’t wait to study it again!
In December we covered Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.
Our bullet points of goodness:
- Jesus Christ Will Come Again
- The Lord Can Make Me Clean
- The Spirit of Elijah
- Christmas
In January, we began our study of the New Testament. And oh goodness, it has been such a joy. It is our year of Jesus and it has been incredibly sweet and tender. Towards the end of last year, I was feeling like we needed a shift in how we were doing Come Follow Me. We’ve done things a certain way with Come Follow Me (for essentially the last four years it’s been available), but I was feeling like we needed to BE in the scriptures more. Before, it was more me retelling the stories and taking out something from the week to focus on.
This year, we are IMMERSING ourselves in the scriptures every day and the Spirit has been so strong. These children are incredible and I am just in awe of them. They were made for this day and time. There has been an amazing depth to our discussions and I’ve cried more than once this year as we lean into the life and ministry of our Savior. It’s been the best.
Our bullet points of goodness:
- Testimony // Personal Responsibility to Learn
- With God, Nothing is Impossible // Submission to God’s Will and Timing
- The Savior’s Foreordained Mission // Come unto Christ
- Jesus Christ is the Son of God and Savior // Choose to Follow Him
- Baptism and the Godhead // Repentance
- Jesus Christ is the Messiah // Forsake All and Follow the Lord
- The Love of our Heavenly Father // Being “Born Again”
- True Happiness Comes from Living a Higher Law // Be Perfected in Christ
- Prayer and Judging Righteously // Obedience Creates a Firm Foundation
Extra Resources:
Old Testament: The Red Headed Hostess Subscription // Book for Jacob // Book for Sarah and Benjamin
New Testament: Come Follow Me for Individuals and Families // The Red Headed Hostess Subscription
science
This winter we have been ALL about reptiles, amphibians, and fish! We learned about turtles, snakes, lizards, crocodilians, tuataras, LOTS about frogs and toads, and newts and salamanders. This was a branch of the animal kingdom I wasn’t sure I’d learn to appreciate – but it has been so much fun! These animal loving kids have had a blast!
Curriculum: The Good and the Beautiful Science: Reptiles, Amphibians, and Fish
echo
Our homeschool co-op was cancelled A LOT this winter because of weather. We are all coming from different directions and weather definitely plays a major role in our gathering. Also, once I got my new calling, my sweet friend Karen offered to take over the littles class teaching. So now I just assist her and teach occasionally when she needs it. The kids continue to LOVE it and love spending time with all of their friends.
nature
Jacob and Sarah continue to work on their nature journals. It was fun to watch them immerse themselves in the joy of winter. This is something they work on independently.
Curriculum: The Good and the Beautiful Nature Notebook
letter subscriptions
letters from afar
Around the world, we stopped in the Mindu Cloud Forest in Ecuador!
writings from the wild
And in the animal kingdom, we learned about the macaw!
american heritage
In American history, we learned about Ethan Allen and the capture of Fort Ticonderoga.
american heritage adventure
And then we traveled to the Everglades in Florida! We can’t wait to go here one day.
Jacob [5th Grade]
Jacob has become such a good self starter! He has really taken his education into his own hands and I absolutely LOVE watching that! It has been incredibly rewarding to see his love for learning.
language arts
Jacob has been FLYING through his language arts! He has a goal to be done in May and he has been doing lessons every day but Sunday! He finished Unit 2 where he studied: sentence diagramming, run-on sentences, comma splices, compound subjects and verbs, editing, and prepositional phrases and commas.
For art, he studied the artist Raphael. He also did a couple watercolor projects, including an illuminated letter “x”.
He also completed all of Unit 3, which taught: commas in a series, dependent clauses and subordinating conjunctions, editing, idioms, context clues, quotation punctuation, commas with dependent clauses, homophones, sentence diagramming, and dependent clauses and prepositional phrases.
In geography, he studied Monhegan Island, various islands of the world, Cuba, the Bahamas, the Caribbean Islands, Haiti, and wildlife in the Caribbean.
In writing, he was introduced to hymns and studied “Abide with Me” and “All Creatures of our God and King”.
In art, he watercolored a lighthouse and a sea turtle.
Jacob also began Unit 4. In this unit, so far he has learned: capitalization with titles, parts of speech, antonyms and vocabulary, imperative sentences, and commas in dates.
In geography, he is studying the Black Forest and studying various biomes.
And he is reading The Clockmaker’s Son by Jenny Phillips.
Jacob went up another reading level and is now at an eighth grade reading level.
Curriculum: The Good and the Beautiful Language Arts: Level 5
creative writing
Jacob’s writing is INCREDIBLE!!! Writing used to be very difficult for Jacob. And I cannot believe the things I have seen him do this year. He is a writer! This winter he did a lot of “story starter” exercises (such as character sketches, possible settings, ideas for mysteries, possible “good and beautiful” messages, possible first paragraphs, possible endings, and dialogue)
Then he switched gears into poetry. After brainstorming several ideas, he wrote a poem about family and a poem about animals. They are beautiful.
Curriculum: The Good and the Beautiful Creative Writing Notebook #1
read aloud
One thing that is not going so well for Jacob is his read aloud. Our plan was to have Mark and him do it together, but with Mark’s work schedule, it is just not happening very often. In February then finished The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald. They decided to read the sequel, and are now reading The Princess and Curdie by George MacDonad. I think we will have to rethink this a little.
CLICK HERE for Jacob’s full read aloud list for this year.
handwriting
Jacob’s handwriting continues to be beautiful as always! He is about two thirds of the way through his handwriting workbook and is working on his cursive and some refinement with his print.
Curriculum: The Good and the Beautiful Handwriting Workbook: Level 5
math
Jacob is right on pace with his math. It has been A LOT of work this year and we are definitely venturing into parts of the math sphere that I need a refresher on. He worked in his second unit, which covered: converting units of weight, symmetry and transformations, comparing fractions using one-half and pictures, number lines with fractions and mixed numbers, quadrilateral classification, perimeter and area of irregular shapes, a review of triangles, numbers in the billions and ordinal numbers, logic puzzles and games, quotients as mixed numbers, adding and subtracting with common denominators, fractions and one whole, Fahrenheit and Celsius, mixed numbers and whole numbers greater than 1, place value with decimals, reading and writing decimal numbers, decimal numbers on a number line, equivalent decimal numbers, adding and subtracting decimal numbers, rounding decimal numbers, comparing and ordering decimal numbers through the ten thousandths place, reducing fractions, converting decimals and percents to fractions, probability, multiplying fractions by fractions, and equivalent fraction.
He just began his third unit and has learned how to convert improper fractions to whole or mixed numbers.
Curriculum: The Good and the Beautiful Math 5
us constitution and government
This winter, Jacob and I have been in the thick of the United States Constitution. For the first time in my life, we read the entirety of the United States Constitution. It is a beautiful and inspiring document (albeit a little difficult to read at times). We read and studied Articles I-IV on the legislative branch, executive branch, judicial branch, and states.
Curriculum: The Good and the Beautiful History: US Constitution and Government
drawing
Jacob is enjoying his final year of drawing. He has done quite a few drawings from his notebook this season: boy looking out, building a sandcastle, carriage and country house, carriage and country road, and children and puppies.
Curriculum: The Good and the Beautiful Drawing: Draw Vintage Images Level 5
piano
This winter we really tried to become more consistent with our piano lessons again. There is definitely still room for improvement, but we are getting better! Jacob has developed a LOVE for piano lately and spends a lot of time on his own practicing. He has made a goal to learn how to play a Primary song and is working a lot on that.
Resource: Faber Piano Adventures: Level 2A
watercolor
Jacob continues to love his monthly watercolor box. He did a “Tis the Season” box, a “Bright Lights” box, and a “Dynamic Duo” box.
Resource: Let’s Make Art Kid’s Subscription
Emotions Journal
Jacob is continuing to work well with his emotions journal. He uses it a lot during his counseling sessions and it has been a great resource for him.
Resource: Weathering My Emotions Journal
Occupational Therapy
Jacob really enjoys his OT session every week. They have given him so many wonderful tools as well as just encouragement. We are so grateful for his therapist, Kristine and for Hope (her student the last couple weeks) and all that they have done for Jacob.
counseling
Luckily, Jacob was able to get in with a new therapist after his old one left without too much delay. His new therapist is named Kelly and Jacob enjoys painting and talking with her.
Sarah [2nd Grade]
Sarah continues to be my joy in teaching. She is delightful and I love her so very much.
language arts
Sarah is progressing smooth as could be in language arts. She is an excellent reader and picks up on things quickly. She finished Unit 1 and this season practiced her spelling, reading and spelling words with EY, reading words with soft C and G, reviewed the phonograms EW, OW, and OU, contractions, and practiced reading poetry,
She also narrated a short story. And in geography, she studied North America.
She is now well into Unit 2, and has learned: reading words where s makes /z/, the subject of a sentence, reading words with TCH, PH, UI, UE, ER, IR, prefixes and suffixes, spelling rule (C or K at the beginning or middle of words), heteronyms, verbs, O can say the short U sound, plural nouns, messages in books, and sentence diagramming
We spoke of literature and she narrated another story and narrated a personal narrative. In geography we did more work with maps, map grids, oceans, and the equator.
Sarah is independently reading at a third grade reading level.
Curriculum: The Good and the Beautiful Language Arts: Level 2
read aloud
In December, Sarah and I finished Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White. This is such a sweet classic that never gets old.
We also read a couple Christmas themed books. We read The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree by Gloria Houston, Arne of Norway by Alta Halverson Seymour, and The Light at Tern Rock by Julia L. Sauer.
We are now moving into the Little House on the Prairie series. We are very close to being done with Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder. These are also just classic and beautiful.
CLICK HERE for Sarah’s full read aloud list for this year.
handwriting
Sarah is half way through her handwriting notebook. Her focus is on refining her print with writing letters and numbers, short words, spelling numbers, and tracing words and sentences.
Curriculum: The Good and the Beautiful Handwriting Workbook: Level 2
math
Sarah is further behind in math than I would like. And I say that only because she is behind because it is something that we just don’t always get to (not because she isn’t capable). However, she did finish Unit 1, and did more practice with time, calendar work, counting coins, rounding to the nearest 10, half dozen, and one more and one less.
Now, she is in the middle of Unit 2, and has learned: adding and subtracting 10 and 100, expanded form to the hundreds, inches, feet, and yards, commutative property, checking addition with subtraction, adding numbers with three or more digits, LOTS of work with time, adding dollars and cents, fact families, spelling 16 to 19, and LOTS of work with measuring.
Curriculum: The Good and the Beautiful: Math 2
drawing
Drawing continues to go well for Sarah. She has drawn: a camera, campfire, camping lantern, candle, candelabra, three different types of cars, a cart, cement truck, two types of chairs, and a clock.
Curriculum: The Good and the Beautiful Drawing: Draw Vintage Images Level 2
piano
As with Jacob, we really tried to make an effort to be more consistent with our piano lessons. Sarah is also really developing a lot for piano and it has been a joy to hear her playing just for fun.
Resource: Faber Piano Adventures: Level 1
ballet
Watching Sarah dance ballet brings me so much happiness. She is brave and beautiful. In December, she had a ballet recital and did so well.
Benjamin [Kindergarten]
Oh Benjamin. It has been a discouraging winter season. We have been so out of sync when it comes to school. It has been a lot of trial and error and stepping back. BUT we saw progress. Sometimes it is through those tough patches that real growth happens – and we saw that this season. It was really hard to hear Ben be so defeated with things. A downside to homeschooling is he doesn’t see that it is NORMAL to struggle with learning to read – he just sees his siblings reading and making it look so easy. He felt like there was something wrong with him. It was really hard but I am seeing his confidence grow day by day now and I am thrilled for him.
language arts
The first half of the season we continued to work through his Preschool curriculum again. Ben was so wanting to move forward but he just wasn’t ready. BUT he was so much more successful the second time around and he finally was ready to move forward. This was A HUGE BOOST to his confidence.
You can read my full review of the Preschool Curriculum HERE.
Towards the end of January, Benjamin began his kindergarten prep book. This is a short book but one that has been very helpful in the past. Benjamin is about two-thirds of the way through it. The “kangaroo” book really helped solidify the letters and their sounds more, as well as learning the vowels and blending simple two and three letter words.
He is doing so well and I am happy to see him grow in this way.
Curriculum: The Good and the Beautiful Language Arts: Preschool // The Good and the Beautiful Language Arts: Kindergarten Prep
explode the code
Explode the Code has been a good supplement for Ben as he’s been learning his letters. We bounced around to the different letters he needed help with and it went well. Once Benjamin finished his Preschool curriculum in January, we retired the Explode the Code books as well.
You can CLICK HERE for my full review.
Curriculum: Get Ready for the Code: Books A, B, and C
read aloud
Benjamin and I continue to do our daily read alouds together. It is a nice mix of picture books and early chapter books. This was our winter line up:
- Christmas Farm by Mary Lyn Ray
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
- Anna, Grandpa, and the Big Storm by Carla Stevens
- Abe Lincoln – The Boy Who Loved Books by Kay Winters
- Christian Liberty Nature Reader Book 2 by Julie Wright
CLICK HERE for Benjamin’s full read aloud list for this year.
handwriting
Ben is continuing to work through his handwriting workbook. He is over a third of the way through it and we are just going slow and steady. This year he is focusing on tracing letters and numbers and writing his first name.
Curriculum: The Good and the Beautiful Handwriting Workbook: Level K
math
Ben is progressing well in his math. He finished up Unit 1, and this season he: practiced counting to 60, did lots of number practice, learned the teens, days of the week, number line practice, ways to make 5, one more and one less, shapes, spatial activities, number bonds, making 4, addition practice, ten sticks, and longer and shorter.
Ben is moving slow but he is GETTING IT! I am proud of that boy. And math does seem to come a little easier for him than reading.
He also just barely started his second unit, and has learned tally marks to 10 and numbers 20 to 40.
Curriculum: The Good and the Beautiful: Math K
science
This year Ben is learning about fields and flowers. We did not do very much science with him at all this winter. But we did learn about mushrooms and moss, wildflowers (and make a fun wildflower bookmark!), and seeds.
Curriculum: The Good and the Beautiful Science for Little Hearts and Hands: Fields and Flowers
Lydia [Preschool I]
before five in a row
I spoke previously about how I am not very impressed with this curriculum. With that said though, I have a hard time just stopping once we start something, so here we are. It is a glorified book list but Lydie and I love reading together – so it works!
We read LOADS of Christmas books and Valentine’s books this season. But with the assigned curriculum, we read: Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, The Big Green Pocketbook by Candice Ransom, The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown, and The ABC Bunny by Wanda Gag.
Curriculum: Before Five in a Row
speech therapy
This winter in speech therapy, we have been ALL about trialing various AAC devices. I have learned a lot and Lydia is learning as well. There are a WHOLE BUNCH of hoops to go through to acquire an AAC device but we are finally at the tail end of it and only have one left to trial for insurance purposes.
We are excited and hopeful that this will be a huge break through for Miss Lydia.
physical therapy
Physical therapy is very discouraging for me. Lydia does not love it and it’s so hard when we are not making any progress. I made the mistake of watching old videos of Lydia a couple weeks ago, and it is a bittersweet experience. It is hard to see things that have been lost over time. But we keep on keeping on, and I am so proud of Lydia for working through her difficulties. She is my hero. Always.
occupational therapy
Lydia also continues to do her occupational therapy. She was measured for new splints and we hope that will give her hands a break from the constant clapping. Lydia has zero purposeful hand movement and so that is our biggest hurdle right now with this.
equine therapy
Lydia also continues to do her equine therapy. It is a little rough in the winter months because weather definitely plays a big factor in things. Her therapist also left us for about six weeks, after her sister (who had Rett Syndrome) passed away. It was an emotional time and our hearts went out to her. This community is humbling to be a part of. But we are so grateful she wanted to come back to Lydia and we hope Lydia brings her some peace as well – it is Lydia’s super power.
One funny thing is Lydia has been falling asleep on the horse almost every time! How, you ask?! I have no idea, but there must be something about the movement of the horse that just relaxes her.
Final Thoughts
This season felt like I was mentally in a place of catch up. It’s not my favorite place to be. This year has been a whole lot of CHANGE. This time last year we were preparing to move to Colorado and I feel like we have been racing ever since.
But the kids are doing well. It makes my heart happy to see them growing and succeeding. They are learning – not just academically, but having life experiences that are shaping them into the most incredible human beings. I am honored to be their mother and get a front row seat to their goodness.
curriculum choices
- Jacob’s Fifth Grade Year
- Sarah’s Second Grade Year
- Benjamin’s Kindergarten Year
- Lydia’s First Preschool Year
previous seasons in the schoolhouse
More included under the “SCHOOLHOUSE” tab
What a wonderful review. You are an amazing family. I wish I was close to do read-alouds with Jacob.
He would love that!