This is still under construction… mainly I am working on it looking nicer, but if you would like to see our booklist or schedule, the term outline is ready. All of the books are listed in my Amazon Booklist if you want to join in or are just looking for book ideas (I know I always am).
This year our main social studies focus is on the seasons and holidays. Term one will start on the farm, bringing in the harvest and taking us into the holiday season. It will be very hands on with lots of crafts and baking. In science we will be using our senses to make observations and always asking questions like; How does if feel? How does it taste? What does it sound like? etc.
Our Break Down for the Year:
Term One: Sept, Oct Nov
Dec off
Term Two: Jan, Feb, Mar
Term Three: Apr, May, June
July, Aug off
We will be loosely following a Weekly Schedule (Preschool and Kindergarden)… with my general outline being:
M: Make Alphabet Book Page, Read Story of the Week, Look at Art History Image
Tu: Read Story of the Week, Complete a Handwriting Page, Craft/Exploration Art
W: Extra Book (heavy extracurricular day around here), Finish Craft if Needed
Th: Story of the Week, Complete a Handwriting Page, Do an Illustration and a Narration in Our Story Journal
F: Baking Time (I will be posting the recipes shortly), Nature Study/Science Theme Project (each week will have a loose theme for further exploration as we wish – I am still working on some ideas but they will all be ready shortly)
Daily (Kindergarten)
Phonics & Math (We are using ReadingA-Z.com and Right Start Math)
Artist for the Term: Degas (pick a different picture each week to look at and then use as a basis for free art – ie How does he show movement? Can you draw a picture that shows movement?)
Composer for the Term: Tchaikovsky (Listen during free play or art time – watch the Nutcracker ballet)
Poem for the Month: (work at memorizing one poem a month, choose a Nursery Rhyme or a poem)
Little Boy Blue
Little Boy Blue,
Come blow your horn;
The sheep’s in the meadow, the cow’s in the corn.
Where is the boy who looks after the sheep?
He’s under a haystack, fast asleep.
Will you wake him?
No, not I. For if I do he’s sure to cry.
OR
Oh, the Lord is good to me,
And so I thank the Lord,
For giving me the things I need;
The sun, the rain and the apple seed;
The Lord is good to me.
Intro to the Term: Read Year at Maple Tree Farm and My Five Senses
Week One (Sep 2nd-5th)
Book of the Week: Tops and Bottoms (read at least 3 mornings, use for narration and illustration)
Letter of the Week: A (click here to download a Italic Letter A page)
Craft for the Week: Modeled food (use salt dough to form veggie food shapes, paint when dry)
Baking Recipe for the Week: Carrot Cake
Extra Book: The Veggies We Eat
Science Theme: Veggies (One suggestion is to visit a Farmer’s market or grocery store. Use the 5 senses to make observations on the veggies, try to determine which part of the plant you are eating
top, bottom or middle. You might want to make some graphs comparing size, shape, color, taste, etc).
Week Two (Sep 8-12)
Book of the Week: Beatrice’s Goat (read at least 3 mornings, use for narration and illustration)
Letter of the Week: B (introduce the letter, the sound, make a letter page for alphabet book and use for handwriting pages)
Craft for the Week: Stuffed Art (have kids draw a farm animal on fabric, cut out basic shape outline with a second piece too, sew together and stuff)
Baking Recipe for the Week: Homemade Butter and Bread
Extra Book: Milk Makers
Science Theme: Milk (One suggestion is to visit a local dairy farm and watch cows being milked).
Week Three (Sep 15-19)
Book of the Week: Rusty, Trusty Tractor
Letter of the Week: C
Craft for the Week: Tracks in the Mud (dip a variety of items in paint and then create tracks on the page)
Baking Recipe for the Week: Grape Nut Cookies
Extra Book: Tractor (Machines at Work)
Science Theme: Wheels
Week Four (Sep 22-26)
Book of the Week: Little Red Hen
Letter of the Week: D
Craft for the Week: Quilt Square (we will make one a month to use to make a year end quilt)
Baking Recipe for the Week: Yellow Cake
Extra Book: Chicks and Chickens
Nursery Rhyme of the Month:
Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater
Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater
Had a wife and couldn’t keep her;
He put her in a pumpkin shell,
And there he kept her very well.
OR
In the Moon of Falling Leaves by Joseph Bruchac You can read the whole poem in Days to Celebrate
(Stanza Two)
Each October brings back the scent
Of fires burning on the hills,
The first etching of frost
On my bedroom windows,
The departing wings
Of a thousand geese
Cutting the clear cold sky.
Week Five (Sep 29 – Oct 3)
Book of the Week: The Season’s of Arnold’s Apple Tree
Letter of the Week: E
Craft for the Week: Apple Prints
Baking Recipe for the Week: Apple Bread
Extra Book: Why do Leave Change Colors?
Week Six (Oct 6-10)
Book of the Week: Johnny Apple Seed
Letter of the Week: F
Craft for the Week: Pine Cone Bird Feeders
Baking Recipe for the Week: Apple Pie/Crisp
Extra Book: How do Apples Grow?
Week Seven (Oct 13-17)
Book of the Week: Pelle’s New Suit
Letter of the Week: G
Craft for the Week: Weaving Project or Something with Wool Roving
Baking Recipe for the Week: ?
Extra Book: How We Use Wool
Week Eight (Oct 20-24)
Book of the Week: Pumpkin Pumpkin
Letter of the Week: H
Craft for the Week: Painting Pumpkins
Baking Recipe for the Week: Pumpkin Muffins
Extra Book: Pumpkin Circle
Week Nine (Oct 27-31)
Book of the Week: Biggest Pumpkin Ever
Letter of the Week: I
Craft for the Week: Quilt Square
Baking Recipe for the Week: Popcorn Balls and/or Carmel Apples
Extra Book: Halloween Is
Week Ten (Nov 3-7)
Book of the Week: Ox Cart Man
Letter of the Week: J
Craft for the Week: Beeswax Candles
Baking Recipe for the Week: Gingerbread Cookies
Extra Book: Farmer’s Market Rounding
Week Eleven (Nov 10-14)
Book of the Week: In November
Letter of the Week: K
Craft for the Week: Table Decorations (Centerpieces or Place settings for our Thanksgiving Table)
Baking Recipe for the Week: Pretzels
Extra Book: Caps, Hats, Socks and Mittens
Week Twelve (Nov 17-21)
Book of the Week: Story of the Pilgrims
Letter of the Week: L
Craft for the Week: Quilt Square
Baking Recipe for the Week: Corn Bread Muffins
Extra Book: Sarah and Samuel
HOLIDAY BREAK (you may want to make a December Quilt square at some point)