We have been homeschooling for many years and I sometimes forget that what we do isn't the same for others. So, I decided to try 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 November:
*The Holy Bible
Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards
VeggieTales episode
The Enchanted Castle by Edith Nesbit
*The Tuttle Twins Podcast
Various YouTube videos on cooking
Home Geography for Primary Grades by CC Long
*Minn of the Mississippi by Holling C Holling
The Story of David Livingstone by V Golding
B is for Bluegrass A Kentucky Alphabet by Mary Ann McCabe Riehle
The Ultimate Guys' Body Book by Walt Larimore
*This Country of Ours by HE Marshall
*Answering the Cry for Freedom by Gretchen Woelfle
*George Washington's World by JoAnna Foster
*Augustus Ceasars World by Genevieve Foster
Abigail Adams by Natalie Bober
We Were There at the Battle of Gettysburg by AS Malkus
Our Island Story by HE Marshall
50 Famous Stories Retold by James Baldwin
*Genesis Finding Our Roots by Ruth Beechick
Trial and Triumph by Richard Hannula
The Story of the Romans by HA Guerber
The Ocean of Truth by Joyce McPherson
YouTube - Food History - TV Dinners
Age of Fable by T. Bullfinch
*Little Town on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
*Tales from Shakespeare by Charles and Mary Lamb
Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson
A Childs Book of Poems by Gyo Fujikawa
A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson
*Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson
Plutarch Project by Anne White
No Fear Shakespeare - Twelfth Night
A variety of Wordsworth poems
The Wanderings of Odysseus by Rosemary Sutcliff
The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford
*The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The Blue Fairy book by Andrew Lang
*These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Dream Keeper and Other Poems by Langston Hughes
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 Foxfire Christmas by Eliot Wigginton
Listen various Renaissance songs on YouTube
Hymns and Folksongs on YouTube
Watch YouTube videos on photography
The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DeCamillo
Amos Fortune Free Man by Elizabeth Yates
The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi
A Lion to Guard Us by Clyde Robert Bulla
Frog and Toad Collection by Arnold Lobel
*Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
The Winged Watchman by Hilda van Stockum
The Storybook of Science by Jean Henri Fabre
*Madam How and Lady Why by Charles Kingsley
Watch Magic School Bus: Inside Ralphie video
*The Burgess Bird Book for Children by Thornton Burgess
*Listen Burgess Bird Playlist on YouTube
The Sea Around Us by Rachel Carson
It Couldn't Just Happen by Lawrence Richards
The Mystery of the Periodic Table by Benjamin Wiker
Watch YouTube: @petersonfieldguides
Paddle to the Sea by Holling C Holling
*Herb Fairies Book 9 by Kimberly Gallagher
*Parables From Nature by Margaret Gatty
Exploring the History of Medicine by John Hudson Tiner
Galen and the Gateway to Medicine by Jeanne Bendick
Watch Cell-abration Cytology video on YouTube
Watch DNA decoders video on YouTube
Galileo and the Magic Numbers by Sidney Rosen
*James Herriots Treasury for Children
Watch Inside a Cell on YouTube
Watch DNA Double Helix on YouTube
Barron's Anatomy Coloring Book
Here's a list of more "formal" curriculum products that we have used during the month of November:
Tintoretto Picture Study and Art Prints - ahumbleplace.com
Song School Latin
*Right Start Math
*Life of Fred - Apples
Life of Fred - PreAlgebra 0 with Physics
Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons
Abeka Reading books - we received them as a gift and have been using them as supplemental reading material
Here are some online classes that we have used:
Here are a few games/activities that we have enjoyed:
*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 November:
- We continued with our homeschool co-op. The high school and middle school kids participate in an Art class focusing on charcoal and 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.
- Our kids participated in various 4H meetings.
- The girls participated in a homeschool bowling event at Galactic Alley. We had fun and look forward to participating more in the future.
- The boys participated in a FFA activity and created mini greenhouse models. This was after learning about various styles of greenhouses and participating in a field trip to a local nursery.
- The boys participated in their FFA class. The focus was on floriculture. They created a fall decorative piece.
- Our son has his worm farm. It experienced an issue with flies after he changed up some of the feeding process. He researched the issue and took steps to correct it.
- Our son helped to work the booth at the Shop Small Farmers Market event.
- Our son spent time working with the sawmill.
He also spent time sanding and adding finishing touches to some woodworking items that we sell on the farm.
- The kids prepared and submitted pieces for an art contest at Boyd's Station Art Gallery. (I had a mom-fail and forgot to take photos of their artwork!)
- We celebrated a birthday. He is growing up so fast!
- The kids have been taking turns cooking various meals for the family.
- The girls spent an afternoon with their grandmother making candy and cookies.
- The boys and I attended a class at the Scott County Library about the definition of genocide. It was part of their traveling exhibit of Americans and the Holocaust. It was a good, but sobering class. They will have their exhibit open through a part of January. Here is the link to check it out: Americans and the Holocaust | Scott County Public Library (scottpublib.org)
- We worked to set up water pipes and electrical wiring to the barn. The boys assisted with this endeavor. They learned that sometimes things do not go as planned and a geothermal line may get in the way. They also learned that while geothermal is a great way to heat a house, there aren't many technicians available to fix problems.
However, we did manage to get the electricity set up in the barn.
- The kids took turns sitting in the hunting blind. Our daughter decided that it was "too cold and boring" for her. They only saw a doe and her small baby, so we haven't added any deer meat to our freezer this year.
- Our son participated in the soccer team celebration event with Bluegrass United. It was a nice end to a great season.
- The girls helped work the event booth at the Cynthiana Country Club. They even got to discuss our products with Santa Claus!
- We celebrated with family and friends for birthdays, Thanksgiving and early Christmas events.
- We participated in the Homeschool Skate Day at the Independence Skateway. It was fun exercise and entertainment.
- Our daughter continues to work on individual photography challenges. We are investigating the possibility of joining a local 4H photography club.
- Our men joined a group of dads and fathers for a fun day of paintball activities.
- Our son helped work the event booth at The Barn at Buck Ridge Farm. He had more fun than the picture depicts.
If you are interested, here are some links to the places/items mentioned above:
www.youtube.com/@FarmhouseonBoone
Home | Harrison Co Farmers (hcfmky.com)
RightStart™ Mathematics by Activities for Learning, Inc. - (rightstartmath.com)
Boyd's Station (boydsstation.org)
Air Conditioning Repair & Replacement in Fort Mitchell, KY | Book Now (arronco.com)
Home | bluegrass-united (bluegrassunited.com)
Leesburg Christian Church - Co-op
Cynthiana Country Club | (cynthianacc.com)
Conder's Paintball Field | Conders Army Surplus Store (conderspaintball.com)
Bowling Alley | Galactic Alley | Cynthiana
(6) The Barn at Buck Ridge Farms | Facebook
*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.