My Style of Homeschooling

I think the question that most homeschool moms ask the most is “What curriculum are you using?”
I recently had the most fun honor to listen to, meet and chat with Lisa Welchel, most known for her role of Blair on Facts of Life.
However, Lisa has authored the book So Your Thinking About Homeschooling, it is a super fun read that revealed me that my style is “Eclectic”
In other words it means, “a little bit of this and a little bit of that” So when I am ask the question above, I honestly don’t know where to start!
I also know that my child (well all children) learn better when they are actually interested in the subject matter.  Technically called “Interest Based Learning”  and lastly I teach better by “Unit Studies” meaning that I try to make everything we are doing circle around our unit of study.
So…here goes, I bought a Reading Program called All About Learning. I will try to do a full post later about this program, but briefly it is a multi-sensory based phonics program. It is highly successful with dyslexic students. My children are not diagnosed with dyslexia, but some of them having more difficulty that others learning phonics based materials.  I am working on ONE lesson per WEEK at this point out of this curriculum. day So..this past week our word work centered around the words with the short 0 sound.

I review the same lesson for 5 days in a row and in the meantime search for supplemental materials with the correct sound to be used on days 2-5 on the topic of the week.

On top of this curriculum, I find books and poems on Z’s Individual Reading Level that go along with his interest based study of the week…and also some books that correlate with his sight words for the week.

Very fittingly, Zachariah choose to study


Weather the first week of school. (Actually going to take us 2) So, we got to dig into our Science Kits that I have been collecting for 6 months now!


Making a Tornado in a Bottle
We used shaving cream in a jar to illustrate that when the clouds get heavy with water, it makes rain.


I am also using a Writing Program Called
Draw Right Now! It gives the children step by step instruction on how to draw something and also gives a writing assignment to go with each lesson. I am hoping to do one of these lessons per week. This week, both boys completed the “Rain” Lesson.

Another book we read this past week is A Little Cloud by Eric Carle.
After the book, they each had the opportunity to create something in the form of a cloud. Here they all are working hard on their projects.


The finished product

And with a touch of pink….

Lastly, I am incorporating projects and journals into our curriculum as I can. We learned about the Water Cycle and the kids worked together to make this…..
And yes, after teaching them a cute song….they can ALL say the words “goes up as Evaporation” “Forms Clouds of Condensation” and “Comes Down as Precipitation” (Tune of She’ll Be Coming Around the Mountain)
After a group project, they each had to produce the same information into their Science Journals.


So….there you go, that’s our Literacy chunk, I’ll have to do Math another day…because I’m about to grab a nap! I’m pooped!
A Huge THANK YOU to The First Grade Parade for your wonderful blog of inspiration!

Sight Word Fun!

Zachariah started kindergarten a few weeks ago. Since then many friends have commented “oh, I thought you were going to homeschool?” I have loved having Zachariah home most everyday for the past 5 years…and have done the best of my ability not to waste any of that precious time..teaching him as much as possible while he was home with me. 
At this time, we have chosen to send Zachariah to kindergarten and I enjoy supporting his teacher to the best of my ability in the things he learns at school. 
I am writing this post with the intention of sharing with others how to support what your child is learning at school….at home!
Soon…after starting Kindergarten,Zachariah’s amazing wonderful teacher sent this home.

This is his book bag,filled with reading materials on his reading level. Some are pre-made, some are books he has created in class, and a ring of sight word flashcards.  His teacher recommends 80 minutes of Reading per week.
Having a 5 year old sit down…and “practice reading” is __________________. (Fill in the blank for your family)
However; having your 5 year old sit down……
and make their words in playdough


or GLITTER GLUE

or SAND

is so much more FUN!
I would love to share with you the early reading program that  my blog friend, Carisa, developed.

You Can Read is an amazing sight word program that you can download for your child. The first lesson included 3 of Zachariah’s sight words on the ring his teacher sent home. The 2nd lesson had 2 more of the words…and the 3rd week…had another. I am amazed how closely it is following what he is doing at school.  He is very excited about finding these words in his book bag after seeing them in a hands-on format!
Zach circling the sight words I call out.

Zachariah is putting together a puzzle of his words.

Drawing a line to each sight word.

Finding his sight words in our sensory table….
Rainbow Rice Recipe is here.

We are also building a caterpillar out of the sight words as he masters them. After I am fairly certain he has learned a word…we add it to his caterpillar on his magnetic board in his room.

There is a free download here for this fun activity!

I also found this amazing activity…which is great for any energetic child!

These fun cubes are called education cubes. You can learn more about them   here.
I have a set of sight word inserts in our blue cube. Zachariah kicks the cube and then calls out the word that is face up.

Although I am a little suspicious that AND came up everytime….here is a cute video!

Make sure to visit the show and tell to get lots of other great ideas!

And I know your going to ask….”When,do you do all of this on top of the homework being sent home?" Well, first of all Zachariah goes to a 4  day kindergarten, so we do the bulk of this on Fridays or Sundays if we take a field trip on Fridays. I will admit…he is often given the choice of “nap time or work with mom time” while the younger 2 nap. I do think most kids could handle one activity per day even if they attend school 5 days. They are fun activities. Also, Zachariah wakes up super early…so he usually does one activity with his breakfast before his siblings even know the dawn of a new day has begun!