Gideon's Fourth Grade Plans

So Gideon is entering fourth grade this year. One of the things I've realized this summer with him is that he doesn't remember all the books he's read/listened to. I had checked those off our list because he was always there when we were reading them with Eowyn. But now he tells me he doesn't really remember the Little House books. What!? The books that impacted us in such gigantic ways that we now have goats and chickens?!

Esmond's Kindergarten

Apparently, the next school year is going to begin soon. Our co-op is actually beginning on August 1, much to the children's delight (I said that right, they are thrilled we're going to start earlier). So with that date looming on the horizon, I needed to start making my plans for our homeschool.

How to Teach Indirect and Direct Objects

I love this sentence for teaching the objects. Kids love this sentence too; they think it's hilarious. Which it is, when you start asking the questions.

John is baking Mom brownies.

Are you giggling yet? Let's start asking the questions.

Reading List 2017

I got a little excited reading some other people's reading lists, and decided I might should make my own. I've never done one, so I'm not even sure how I'll feel about it. I usually just read the next thing that comes along, but some books I need to read get pushed to the back burner because of more exciting reads (right now it's On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness).

How to Teach Writing Skills

Can you imagine taking a class to learn how to knit and ride a unicycle at the same time? It makes me giggle to think about. But that's what I think about when I'm teaching the kids.

If we wanted to learn to knit while riding a unicycle, we would have to master each of the skills separately before we could combine them. We wouldn't practice riding while we're learning to hold the needles. No, we would first learn to ride masterfully, and then to knit again masterfully, and then we would finally combine.