We will be starting up our next term after the holidays… Jan 5. In Term Two we will be focusing on the animals in the winter, their survival skills (migration, adaptation, hibernation), plus reading about some of the winter holidays. Nature study will continue to be a big part of what we do… although it may be a bit more at the kitchen table watching birds at the feeder. I also want to spend some time introducing poetry… beyond the nursery rhymes.
We will be loosely following a Weekly Schedule (Preschool and Kindergarten)… with my general outline being:
Every Day: Pledge, Calendar, Days of the Week, Weather, Poem of the Month, Circle Time (songs & finger plays), Bible Story, Free Art Time (play dough, water colors or colored pencils – their choice).
M: Read Story of the Week, Introduce an Art History Image, Introduce the Letter of the Week
Tu: Read Story of the Week, Handwriting, Craft/Directed Art
W: Read Expansion Book, Read Flower Fairy Alphabet Story and color Alphabet Book Page
Th: Read Story of the Week, Handwriting, Do an Illustration and a Narration in Our Story Journal about the Story of the Week
F: Baking Time, Nature Study/Science Theme/Field Trip, Finish Craft if Needed
Daily (Kindergarten only)
Phonics & Math (We are using Spell to Write and Read and Right Start Math)
Art History: You can choose an individual artist to study for a term (like recommended by Charlotte Mason) or use the Come Look With Me series of books to focus on a theme instead. We will be using Come Look With Me for now starting with World of Play.
Bedtime Reading: We are going to tryMy Side of the Mountain. I think my adventurous little guy will enjoy it. Farmer Boy was a big hit. We tend to mix up a couple chapters in a ‘big’ book one night with the kids’ pick of picture books the next.
Term Two Book List
Baking Activity: Russian Tea Cakes (Snowballs)
Baking Activity: Babies in a Blanket
Baking Activity: Bear Claw Cookies
Baking Activity: Sunflower Carrot Muffins
Craft Activity: Clay Birds
Baking Activity: Bread
Baking Activity: Sugar Cookie Hearts
Week Seven:
Baking Activity: Hot Chocolate
Week Eight:
Baking Activity: ?
Week Nine:
Baking Activity: ?
Week Ten:
Baking Activity: Maple Candy
Week Eleven:
Baking Activity: ?
Week Twelve:
Baking Activity: Pancakes and Maple Syrup
I can’t believe that it is November already! We always host Thanksgiving for our family at our house. This means you will be seeing lots of crafts and projects from us preparing for this festive time of year.
Week Ten (Nov 3-8)
Ox-Cart Man
Farmer’s Market Rounding
J is for Jasmine
We will be coloring the Jasmine page from our Flower Fairies Alphabet Coloring Book and reading the accompanying story in the Flower Fairies Alphabet Book.
I am trying to track down the supplies locally (since I didn’t get a chance to order them) to make beeswax candles.
I would like to visit a couple of our local shops that sell handmade items… maybe get some new candles that smell like pumpkin pie and such.
Gingerbread Cookies
INGREDIENTS
1 (3.5 ounce) package cook and serve butterscotch pudding mix
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
DIRECTIONS
In a medium bowl, cream together the dry butterscotch pudding mix, butter, and brown sugar until smooth. Stir in the egg. Combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, and cinnamon; stir into the pudding mixture. Cover, and chill dough until firm, about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease baking sheets. On a floured board, roll dough out to about 1/8 inch thickness, and cut into man shapes using a cookie cutter. Place cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until cookies are golden at the edges. Cool on wire racks.
Over the River and Through the Woods (or A Boy’s Thanksgiving Day)
Over the river, and through the wood,
To Grandmother’s house we go;
The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh
through the white and drifted snow.
Over the river, and through the wood –
Oh, how the wind does blow!
It stings the toes and bites the nose
As over the ground we go.
Over the river, and through the wood,
To have a first-rate play.
Hear the bells ring, “Ting-a-ling-ding”,
Hurrah for Thanksgiving Day!
Over the river, and through the wood
Trot fast, my dapple-gray!
Spring over the ground like a hunting-hound,
For this is Thanksgiving Day.
Over the river, and through the wood –
And straight through the barnyard gate,
We seem to go extremely slow,
It is so hard to wait!
Over the river, and through the wood –
Now Grandmother’s cap I spy!
Hurrah for the fun! Is the pudding done?
Hurrah for the pumpkin pie!
by Lydia Maria Child
Kindergarten/Preschool Term One Overview: Harvest Time