We have been homeschooling for many years and I sometimes forget that what we do isn't the same for others. So, I am adding a monthly homeschool recap to this blog to demonstrate one way (there are so many methods out there!) that homeschooling can work.
We use an eclectic method of homeschooling that leans very heavily towards the Charlotte Mason method of teaching. Without going into too much detail about this method, it can be described as very literature-heavy. We read and discuss A LOT of books. We don't spend a lot of time on workbooks, worksheets, etc., We have gravitated toward this method over the years and found that it works very well for our learners and family lifestyle.
Here are some items that we have read, listened to or watched during the month of April:
*The Holy Bible
Watch videos on Small Engine Repair provided from our FFA instructor
Review PowerPoint presentations on Small Engine Repair provided from our FFA instructor
Work on FFA essay
Watch Chicken Processing System on Abundance Plus
Used quizlet activities to study for FFA Seed Identification contest
Watch Showing Nick Frietas How Our Farm Works on Abundance Plus
Watch Getting Started with Honeybees on Abundance Plus
Watch Build Mobile Chicken Feeder on Abundance Plus
Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards
The Story of Painting by HW Janson
*The Princess and the Kiss by Jennie Bishop
*Bright Valley of Love by Edna Hong
*The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel
Ourselves by Charlotte Mason
Read/Discuss World Magazine articles.
Watch How to Ferment Fruit on YouTube
Watch Cooking for a Large Family by Farmhouse on Boone on YouTube
The Lay of the Land by Dallas Lore Sharp
Elementary Geography by Charlotte Mason
The Brendan Voyage by Tim Severin
*Richard Halliburton's Book of Marvels - The Occident
The Girl's Body Book by Kelli Dunham
Buffalo Bill by Ingri D'aulaire
Watch Blackhawk Down DVD
Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English People - portions
*The Story of Inventions by Frank Bachman
The Birth of Britain by Winston Churchill
Always Inventing by Tom Matthews
*This Country of Ours by HE Marshall
Our Island Story by HE Marshall
Trial and Triumph by Richard Hannula
Tree in the Trail by Holling C Holling
The Little Duke by Charlotte Yonge
Abraham Lincoln's World by Genevieve Foster
Of Courage Undaunted by James Daugherty
*Book of Poems by Gyo Fujikawa
Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling
*St. George and the Dragon by Margaret Hodges
Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott
Age of Fable by T. Bullfinch
Beowulf translated by Burton Raffel
Various poems by Rudyard Kipling
Various poems by Eugene Field
Various poems by James Whitcombe Riley
The Blue Fairy Book by Andrew Lang
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
Watership Down by Richard Adams
English Literature for Boys and Girls by HE Marshall
Bulfinch's Medieval Mythology by Thomas Bulfinch
*Tales from Shakespeare by Charles and Mary Lamb
*Aesop's Fables by Milo Winter
*No Fear Shakespeare - King Lear by Sparknotes
Plutarch Project by Anne White
Elsie Dinsmore Book 1 by Martha Finley - we found an older copy at an estate sale, but I have attached a link to a paperback copy.
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain
The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan
King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table by Roger Green
The Once and Future King by TH White
A Wonder Book by Nathanial Hawthorne
How to Read a Book by Adler and Van Doren
Listened to various Folk Songs, Hymns, and works by Ravel
Comfort from a Country Quilt by Reba McIntyre
The Life of Olaudah Equiano by Olaudah Equiano
Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates by Mary Mapes Dodge
Pocahontas by Ingri d'Aulaire
Watched Burgess Animal Playlist videos on YouTube
The Boy Scientist by John Lewellen
Watch Amphibians for Kids episodes on YouTube
All Things Wise and Wonderful by James Herriott
James Herriot's Treasury for Children by James Herriot
Herb Fairies Book #10: The Root of Kindness by Kimberly Gallagher
The Wonder Book of Chemistry by Jean Henri Fabre
The Story of Inventions by Michael McHugh
First Studies of Plant Life by George Francis Atkinson
*The Burgess Animal Book for Children by Thornton Burgess
*The Burgess Bird Book for Children by Thornton Burgess
*Watch Burgess Bird Playlist on YouTube
Paddle to the Sea by Holling C Holling
*Parables From Nature by Margaret Gatty
Wild Animals I Have Known by Ernest Thomas Seton
The Peterson Field Guide Coloring Book - Mammals
Watched various videos on YouTube about woodworking
Here's a list of more "formal" curriculum products that we have used during the month of April:
*A Humble Place - Unit Study on Monet
*Geography for All Seasons
*Song School Latin
The Grammar of Poetry by Matt Whitling
*Various workbooks from The Critical Thinking Co
The Fallacy Detective by Nathaniel Bluedorn
*Right Start Math
*Life of Fred - Honey
*Life of Fred - Cats
Signs and Seasons by Jay Ryan
The History of Medicine by John Hudson Tiner
The Art of Problem Solving, PreAlgebra by Richard Rusczyk
Abeka Reading books - we received them as a gift and have been using them as supplemental reading material
*Life of Fred - PreAlgebra 0 with Physics
*Life of Fred - PreAlgebra 0 with Biology
*Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons
Exploring Creation with Anatomy and Physiology
Completed various assignments from the FFA Small Engines repair class that were assigned by the advisor.
Grammar of Poetry by Matt Whitling
Here are some online classes/resources that we have used:
Facts-Based News for Christians | WORLD (wng.org)
Webucator online class about how to use Illustrator
Here are a few games/activities that we have enjoyed:
A Ticket to Ride
*Items marked with an asterisk are my personal favorites and highly recommended.
Here are a few field trips/activities that we have participated in during the month of April:
- We continued with our homeschool co-op. The high school and middle school kids participate in an Art class focusing watercolor techniques, a Literature class with some writing components and a Bible class. The elementary students are participating in classes for Bible, Science, Logic and PE.
- We started the season with the Bluegrass Farmers Market in Lexington, Ky. The kids help to prepare items and work the market booth.
- The boys participated in their monthly official FFA meeting. They are learning about the roles of the officers and the procedure for the official meetings.
- They continued with their FFA Livestock judging classes. They practiced evaluating the various classes of animals, preparing reasons and giving oral presentations. They are learning a lot and enjoying the friendships that they are making in the process.
- They continued with their 4H Livestock judging classes.
- The boys participated in their FFA agricultural class on small engine mechanics. They are learning about the workings of engines, how to disassemble, reassemble and target potential problems regarding these machines.
- The boys assisted with tagging and vaccinating cattle with Papaw.
- Our son maintained his worm farm. He is prepared the worm tea for a busy spring season. This natural fertilizer can be purchased here: Worm Tea
- The kids continued to participate with the youth group at church. This involves a time for worship, learning and fellowship. In addition, our oldest volunteered to child-sit with the group during a church event for the parents.
- The older kids attended the University of Kentucky Agricultural Field Day. They competed in the livestock judging contest and the seed identification contest. They performed well and we are proud of them for their hard work. It was estimated that over 3,000 students throughout the state participated in this event.
- The kids continue to take turns cooking meals for the family. We have a rule in place that whoever cooks the meal does not have to clean up the kitchen afterwards. This has been very effective in ensuring that we have an abundance of volunteers to cook meals!
- Our son attended the Spring Formal with Bluegrass United. He was so handsome! He had a great time with his friends at this event.
- We enjoyed a lunch date with friends. They opened up their home to us for nice conversation and games.
- They helped to clear out the creek. A portion of the creek had become clogged that resulted in repeated flooding. Luckily for us, family assisted with this project, and we were able to get it cleared out. The flooding issue has resolved.
- They assisted with a minor roof repair. We took advantage of the opportunity to utilize a borrowed tractor and repaired some small damage on the roof.
- The girls returned to Riding with Rhythm for horse riding lessons. They love Miss Shirley and her horses. They learn about the whole animal and focus on control. They even participated in a Hands-On-Horses class that discussed the movement of horses and issues related to hoof health.
- Both of our boys decided to participate in spring training for soccer with the Bluegrass United team. They are working to improve their skills in order to make this competitive team in the fall.
- We had an impromptu eclipse party. It turned out to be a really fun day with friends. If you would like to learn more about it, check out the blog post here: Our Eclipse Day – Growing Roots Farm (thegrowingrootsfarm.com)
- Our daughter participated in 4H photography classes. She is working to improve her skills and hopes to share her work at the market and on the website soon.
- They explored the creek for amphibians. We also found this toad closer to the house. He wasn't allowed to be a house-toad, but I don't think it really bothered him when we set him free outdoors. We documented our work in our nature journals.
- They attended birthday parties.
- The strawberries ripened earlier this year, so we took advantage of it and participated in a U-Pick strawberry event at Red Barn Farm.
- We welcomed new lambs on the farm. They have been a fun and adorable addition.
- The baby continued to get into mischief!
Our lives are not what is considered normal, but we are loving it this way!
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If you are interested, here are some links to the places/items mentioned above:
Claude Monet Picture Study · a humble place
The Bluegrass Farmer's Market (bluegrassfarmersmarket.com)
UK Field Day 2024 | Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (uky.edu)
Harrison County 4-H | Facebook
FFA | Preparing Members for Leadership and Career Success
Home | bluegrass-united (bluegrassunited.com)
Red Barn Farm | Dry Ridge KY | Facebook
Abundance Plus Referral Code: https://abundanceplus.com/?referral_code=DBgccacFBcgiHg
Facts-Based News for Christians | WORLD (wng.org)
(33) Farmhouse on Boone - YouTube
(33) Weird History Food - YouTube
Online and Onsite Instructor-led Training Classes | Webucator
Better Grades and Higher Test Scores — Guaranteed! - The Critical Thinking Co.
Harvest Right link: https://affiliates.harvestright.com/2487.html
RightStart™ Mathematics by Activities for Learning, Inc. - (rightstartmath.com)
Kentucky FFA Association | KY FFA
Leesburg Christian Church - Co-op
Leesburg Christian Church - Home
*For those that enjoy the booklists, I have attached links to my Amazon affiliate account. As an Amazon associate, I will earn money from any qualifying purchases made by using these links.