Homeschool Update - October

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 October:

*The Holy Bible

*You Can Farm by Joel Salatin

VeggieTales episode

*Heroes of the Bible Devotional by Joshua Cooley

*Tuttle Twins and the Search for Atlas by Connor Boyack

The Enchanted Castle by Edith Nesbit

*The Tuttle Twins Podcast

Various YouTube videos on cooking 

Elementary Geography Charlotte Mason

*Minn of the Mississippi by Holling C Holling

Richard Hallibuton's Book of Marvels - Orient

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

The Story of the Greeks by HA Guerber

Abigail Adams by Natalie Bober

We Were There at the Battle of Gettysburg by AS Malkus

Our Island Story by HE Marshall

*Benjamin Franklin by Ingri DAulaire

50 Famous Stories Retold by James Baldwin

*Genesis Finding Our Roots by Ruth Beechick

Viking Tales by Jennie Hall

The Colony of Virginia by Brooke Coleman

Don't Know Much About the Kings and Queens of England by Kenneth Davis

Powhatan Indians by Suzanne Williams

Black Ships Before Troy by Rosemary Sutcliff

Age of Fable by T. Bullfinch 

*Little Town on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder

*Tales from Shakespeare by Charles and Mary Lamb

Poetry for Young People - Edgar Allan Poe 

Variety of Sandburg poems  

Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson

*Aesop's Fables 

A Childs Book of Poems by Gyo Fujikawa

*Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling

A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson

*Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson

*Animal Farm by George Orwell

Plutarch Project by Anne White

No Fear Shakespeare - Twelfth Night

A variety of Wordsworth poems

The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford

*The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The Blue Fairy book by Andrew Lang

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. 

*Animal Farm Movie

Listen various Renaissance songs on YouTube  

Reba - My Story by Reba McEntire

Hymns and Folksongs on YouTube

Watch YouTube videos on photography 

The Warlords Puzzle by Virginia Pilegard

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DeCamillo

Tree of Freedom by Rebecca Caudill

The House at Pooh Corner by AA Milne

The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi

Frog and Toad Collection by Arnold Lobel

Little Houses in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Swiss Family Robinson by Johann Wyss

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The Storybook of Science by Jean Henri Fabre

Sibley Field Guide to Trees

*Madam How and Lady Why by Charles Kingsley  

Peterson First Guide to Trees

*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

Archimedes and the Door of Science by Jeanne Bendick

Elements by Theodore Gray

The Ocean of Truth by Joyce McPherson

The Mystery of the Periodic Table by Benjamin Wiker

Watch YouTube:  @petersonfieldguides

Paddle to the Sea by Holling C Holling

Inside your Outside by Dr Seuss

*Herb Fairies Book 9 by Kimberly Gallagher

*Parables From Nature by Margaret Gatty

A Mink A Fink A Skating Rink by Brian Cleary

 

Here's a list of more "formal" curriculum products that we have used during the month of October:

Beautiful Feet Books - Around the World with Picture Books 

Song School Latin 

Getting Started with Latin

Dr DooRiddles

Reading Detective

Mind Benders Level 5

Right Start Math 

Life of Fred - Edgewood

Life of Fred - Apples

Life of Fred - PreAlgebra 0 with Physics

Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons

Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology

Fix It Grammar

New American Cursive

 

Here are some online classes that we have used:

Seterra Geography Games

 

Here are a few games/activities that we have enjoyed:

Ticket to Ride

Dominoes

 

     *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 October:

- 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. 

 

- We participated in a bat walk event hosted by the Boone County Conservation Office. We had a great time and learned a lot about bats by using their echolocation detection devices. 

 

 

- Our son explored the idea of setting up a microgreen station in the basement. He did research and designed it out before deciding that he didn't want to take the time to pursue that particular project at the moment.  

 

- Our son continued his season with Bluegrass United Soccer. They participated in two tournaments, including the National Homeschool Soccer Championship in Chattanooga, TN. 

 

- Our daughter worked to cook a few dishes on her own. These included breakfast puff cake (similar to a pancake) and prepared salads. 

 

- The girls attended a field trip to Evans Orchard. I was unable to attend, but luckily their grandmother stepped in. They had a great time!

 

 - Our son maintained and updated his worm farm. He is using this as his FFA project. After independent research, he obtained aged cow manure as a supplement for his worms.

He sold worm tea fertilizer at the Farmers Market all season. He earned enough money to purchase a custom, handmade knife from a local artisan. He loves his new knife! If you are interested in these knives, contact Willow Bend Farm at willowbend01@gmail.com. 

 

 - The girls decided to sleep outside in a tent before the weather became too cold. They set up the tent with all of their books, lights, pillows and blankets. They attempted to allow the cats to sleep with them, but they were too playful throughout the night (or so I was told!). When we looked outside in the morning, our dog was lying in front of the tent door to ensure that they were protected throughout the night. 

 

- The boys participated in an FFA Fundraiser at Culvers. I think the kids had more fun than the customers. 

 

 - Our son and daughter finished up their soccer season with Georgetown Football Club. We are very grateful for their caring and dedicated coach. He does an amazing job with the kids. 

We started using a new wagon help haul our chairs to and from the sidelines. The baby is a fan of this new method.

 

- The boys attended their FFA Meeting at the Grant Co Library. The topic discussed was greenhouses and the various possible setups. I even shared a little bit about our experiences with our greenhouse. 

 

 - We said goodbye to our pigs as they were taken to the processor. They are now providing delicious meat for several families. 

 

 - We started a project to setup water and electric in our barn. The boys assisted with this activity and learned how this process works. 

 

 - Our oldest son participated in his first dance. It was a Barn Dance and Pie Social hosted by Bluegrass United. They had a professional group teach the students various dances including line dancing and swing dancing. The kids had fun and are looking forward to attending this event next year. 

 

 - We hosted a couple of playdates and sleepovers. The kids love hanging out at home with our friends. 

 

 - We attended a field trip to Wilson's Nursery with our FFA group. 

 

 

  - We celebrated our daughter's birthday. She is growing up so fast!

 

 

 

 - A couple of the kids helped to work a booth at the Harvest Festival on Stepping Stone Farm. 

 

- We attended a Halloween party. 

 

 We had great hosts that always make us feel welcome and throw a great party. 

 

 

 

If you are interested, here are some links to the places/items mentioned above:

Boone County Conservation District – Boone County Conservation District, KY (bccdky.org) 

National Homeschool Soccer Championship (sincsports.com) 

Einkorn Puff Pancakes - Farmhouse on Boone 

Evans Orchard - Market & Cider Mill - Georgetown, KY 

Home | Harrison Co Farmers (hcfmky.com)

RightStart™ Mathematics by Activities for Learning, Inc. - (rightstartmath.com)

Georgetown Football Club | Home (georgetownfc.com) 

Home | bluegrass-united (bluegrassunited.com) 

Leesburg Christian Church - Co-op

Home | Wilson Nurseries | Kentucky's Plant People (wilsonnurseriesky.com)

Pumpkin Patch | Stepping Stone Farm | Paris (steppingstonefarmky.com)

 

*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.     


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