New Sonlight Catalogue has arrived

How exciting – my catalogue has arrived – we are in Australia so assuming those in America have had theirs for a little while.  As we packed to go away over the weekend I glanced quickly through it, thought about sneaking it into my suitcase and reading it but decided in the end to focus on having time out from school and everything and enjoying some rare family time out.  We had a wonderful time.

And now to read my Catalogue –

In my quick glance through before we left, I noticed that the Cores have been renamed but I also noticed how much clearer the catalogue is to make sense of.   After patiently showing friends how to order their Sonlight orders for the first time and how to work out what they needed. I feel that Sonlight has made it so much easier to make sense of.  I am also excited to see that All about spelling has been added to the Sonlight range.  I have seen so many good reviews for this program and so really want to try it.  So off to make a list for next year!

Workbox Schedule–updated

We have used a few different schedules since we started our workbox journey 2 years ago and this is my favourite – it works for us! 
 
Our first schedule was exactly the way it is described by Sue in the book.  But I found that with lots of pages for the day the kids would turn too many or not see the last cards.  Duckie works best when she can see all she has to do, all on one page.
I found a few sites out there where the schedule was set up for a week. What’s in the Box, Ginger Snap Shots,  Homeschool Creations,
I liked What’s in the Box’s bound schedule but office supplies are so expensive here and I thought  I could come up with something cheaper and homemade!  I downloaded her pages but only ended up using the calendar numbers.  Below is  Bunny’s schedule.  Each card turns over when used so it doesn't get lost and I don’t end up with hundreds of cards to sort through (which was driving me nuts ). 

cards have velcro on front (see camel card) and on back.  Each child choose a sticker set that they wanted as a “reward” on the back of each card.  No lost cards.  I prefer the velcro coins cut in half but ran out and was given free strips of velcro so used that instead.

Any spare cards go at the back of the folder, as do number cards for the calendar pages.
Here is how I made it – bought a folder ,

removed the binder bits,  print up and laminate your pages I used a heavy laminate

hole punch the pages to match the holes in the cover.  I used red dots to mark 4 holes so I would punch in the right spots. 

Put hinged rings through the holes (for those in Australia I bought mine at Office Works) and you are done


I also did a single page book for Monkey (photos below) where she matches the numbers on her schedule to the number on the box so her numbers do not turn over, they stay on the box so at the end of school she has an empty page.  I just collect the number off the box and put it back in her folder for the next day.  I also focused on the days of the week rather than the dates for her.


Other Web links  that you might like:
Planning a week with workboxes at Heart of Wisdom
I wish I had the room for a set up like this at Sweet Phenomena

Science Week 1

We have completed week 1 of Sonlight Science 1 and the girls love it, and so does Mum.  It is sooooo easy.  We read the book and then we do the activity sheet.  We watch the DVD and then we do the experiment how simple is that!

 

This week the Discover and Do lesson was on Magnets so we did a workbox activity with it.  So simple – a box of different things and a magnet.  I made up an activity sheet to go into our Science Notebook.  They choose 5 items and stuck the picture of the item onto their sheet and then made a guess as to whether the magnet would stick or not and then tested their guess and crossed out the sad face if they got it right or the happy face if their guess was wrong.  So simple and easy to do.

You can download the Activity Sheet here at Homeschool Launch

 

Monkey did spend a while exploring with the magnets after doing her sheet.  The other girls were happy to do the experiment and move on.  This would also make a great waiting station activity.

 

The set up of the box was specific for a reason – the focus of the box was learning about magnets so I had pre-cut all the answers and the child just had to find the right one and stick it on.  I used little glass containers (from Ikea) to hold the answer pieces.  I have found that the less complicated and simple looking the set up the more the kids are attracted to go and do the activity.  I love the way Montessori sets up the environment as I feel kids are attracted to the simplicity and organization of an environment.

New venture–In our spare time :)

A friend and I are trying to make a little extra money to help out the budget and decided to capitalize on our hobby - sewing, we both love sewing and so the weekly sewing group was formed.

Here are our first efforts ready for sale. You can see them through our blog Creating in our spare time or on facebook.

We are happy to take custom orders. We have lots more to add. We have 5 girls between us and 4 boys so will be adding some modest, nice older girls clothes as we know how hard that is to find.

I would also like to add some Montessori items, am currently sourcing some inserts if you are interested in anything please let me know.

Sonlight LA 1 Week 1

In the folder for week 1 is the following

# A copy of the weekly spelling list

#Weekly spelling cards

#Sonlight Activity Cards

#An activity for activity #7 (see below)

#copywork sheet – one is laminated which I write on for her to copy and a blank one for her to write on.

 

Here are my downloads and notes for week 1 – you NEED the Sonlight Instructors Guide to use these downloads.  I am not affiliated with Sonlight in anyway I just love their books and use their program as my base to homeschool my 5 kids.

You do not need to add extra to the Sonlight Program but we do because it works better this way for our family.  Please note that I am using HWOT (Handwriting With Out Tears) paper for all my downloads.

 

Spelling -  

All spelling words – download here from Homeschool Launch

Find a word for this weeks spelling list – download here from Homeschool Launch

 

Phonics Activities -

#1 – we used a ‘th’ page made to go with the THRASS chart, then discovered that THRASS had produced a PHONICS WORD BANK book.  So I won’t be making any more THRASS worksheets (unless I really, really need to ). 

#2 we used the magnetic letters I made.  You can download them here from Homeschool Launch

#4 we are using the THRASS Phonics Word bank book instead of making a chart.

#7 If your child does not like writing use the sheet I made and either get them to cut out the letters and paste on to the chart. (WORKBOX HINT: Think about what you want to accomplish with this activity and if cutting is not part of it do the cutting yourself before hand ) or laminate the chart and use a cookie tray and magnetic letters to “write” the answers. Download at Homeschool Launch here.

 

Creative Expression -

Creative Expression Activity sheets week 1  – download here from homeschool Launch

Writing Activity - Pat the Rat Notebook page download here from Homeschool Launch

Extra Activities for the Workbox this week

‘Penguin Learns at words’ at Sonflower School house. It is no #185 January 2010

‘Sonflower sight words’ at File Folder Fun

 

To see all our weeks with Sonlight Language Arts 1 go HERE

Sonlight LA 1– Beginning to Read

We are working our way through this LA with Duckie so this page will continue to grow as we make and use extra things to go with our Sonlight Program.

Please note you do not need to make extra things – Sonlight does provide worksheets for every week but we wanted them to be in the HWOT (Handwriting With Out Tears) format and Duckie wanted some pictures to make them more exciting. We are also using THRASS so our edits to Sonlight will reflect that use.

For the year:

I have found a small whiteboard essential for spelling – mistakes are rubbed out straight away so there is not chance of wrong spelling becoming stuck in the brain. Plus no extra paper to file and keep and a white board is lots of fun!

Word cards – You can download the sight word cards from Sonlight here. I have made word cards for the spelling words too.

Weeks 1-10 Download from Homeschool Launch here.

I also made a weekly spelling List. I did this in one hit so you can download the entire years list here at Homeschool Launch. I use these along with SpellQuizzer to help Duckie review her spelling words for the week. Download from Homeschool Launch here.

Mini Alphabet Cards – we laminated these and then stuck a magnet on the back. We use them instead of the go-fish cards and also with some of the activity sheets I altered (more about them later) Download them here at Homeschool Launch. You can also use the ones that Confessions of a Homeschooler has made to go with her letter of the week curriculum and just add magnetic backing to them.

Below are the links to each week as we complete it with more downloads and links for each week.

Language and Thinking by Ruth Beechick and Jeannie Nelson has lots and lots of extras to go with it so I am going to make that a separate post. See Language and Thinking

Week 1

Week 2

Not back to school Fun Introduction

I am joining Our World Wide Classroom (another Aussie Mum) in her Not Back to School Fun. For those of us homechooling downunder the school year has just begun with the start of February so we are just getting back into the routine.

So our introduction:

First in the line up is

Zebra – Our eldest Daughter she is 10 turning 11 at the end of the year. I am so proud of how far she has come since we started our homeschooling journey. She is turning into a confident young lady. Her reading has taken off and now she is just like her mum with her nose always in a book. She loves being outside, especially climbing trees. She has hundreds of questions and is doing her best to learn everything she can RIGHT NOW!

Duckie comes next, she is 8 , turning 9 – Duckie loves people, at Playgroup she always has a baby near her. She is my crafty girl – loves drawing and is not too sure that school needs to be done. She does best with workboxes, knowing what is coming next and exactly what has to be done each day – do it and get it over and done with and get on with life!!

Bunny is 6 nearly 7. This year we will start more formal learning, she is eager to learn to read this year. She too loves learning and her main interest at the moment is learning all she can about the insects and bugs in the world around her. She has started collecting seeds and wants to learn about every plant she sees. She is keeping me busy learning along with her.

Monkey has just turned 5. She will be playing lots this year. Her only curriculum will be B4 FIAR and we will be reading the books from Sonlight’s P4/5 program – these are all new to us so I am sure the others will be eagerly listening in too .

Wombat is 2, he is at an interesting age!!. Wombat was born with Infantile Esotropia. Both eyes were crossed and he had to have an operation last year. The operation was a success but other issues have come up. We have just found out that he has Hypermobility Syndrome (as do at least 3 of the girls), his is considerably worse and we will be doing lots of sensory things this year to help him. We also have weekly physio for him and we attend a weekly playgroup for him which all the girls come to. So lots and lots of Tot school will hopefully be happening for him. We are also using Macaton signs with him to help with his communication.

This is our 6th year of homeschooling – wow that sounds like a long time! Each year is so different from the last. Officially only Zebra, Duckie and Bunny are homeschooled as in Australia you do not have to send your children to school until they are 6, though most kids start kindy at 4, pre-primary at 5 and year 1 at 6 in Western Australia.

Next week I will post about the curriculum we are using and our plans for this year.

Blog Link up - This post is part of the Not Back to School Fun Blog Hop hosted at Our World Wide Class Room

Ask Mr Bear Rowed Feb 2011

This is the first time that Monkey has rowed this book – the other girls have all done it at some time in the past. So it was all new to her. We started the year with this book because she had just had her birthday and Daddy’s birthday was this week so it was good jumping off point for thinking about what to get him and making cards for him. The older girls are also reading Charlotte’s Web so this week was Farm Theme week for Monkey.

Things we did:

Made a Lap-n-Note – All of the mini books were from Homeschool Share (Ask Mr Bear lapbook) I did make a cover for the lapbook using the cover of the book you can download that here from HS launch and I also made a matching game which you can down load from HS Launch here. This will be added to our Ask Mr Bear book bag so that anyone who wants can pull out the game and play it – it is the same as the one in Monkey’s folder, except she coloured the cards in. I Laminated the whole page and the pictures and then added velcro dots to the backs so they don’t get lost.

We walked like the animals

Played with a rice sensory work box filled with the animals from the story and a Mum and boy. Wombat was fascinated with the little boy – love that his hat came on and off!

Monkey was given a farm animal sticker book for her birthday which I put into her workbox this week and she enjoyed putting the stickers on the right pages.

We also watched a Playschool DVD – one episode a day on farm animals. All the girls enjoyed this and I think I might get more playschool DVD’s. We don’t have TV so this is one thing they have not had.

We also started an Animal Classification Chart. As we are discussing animals this year we plan to sort them onto the chart. Below is the empty chart in our Science corner of the room. You can download our Ask Mr bear Animal Classification cards from HS Launch here. The animal classification chart labels are from Confessions of a Homeschooler’s Expedition Earth: Discovering God’s Animals. This is her post on her animal wall.

It was a fun week one for Monkey.

Added 7/4/11 - Homeschool creations has a birthday preschool Pack to download here . This would be a perfect addition to a birthday theme when rowing Ask Mr Bear.

First day of school

Well it wasn’t exactly as I had planned due to having a doc appointment for Wombat this morning, which of course look longer than expected. I have not yet had one doc appointment that I haven’t had to wait at least 1 hour for!!

So all we did was some more work on our praying mantis learning. Wombat was fascinated by the “Bub” his word for bug! We also read some of the farm books we borrowed from the library.

Homeschool Share has a fantastic Praying Mantis Lapbook which we are using.

Below - First day of school photos. We always take a measurement each year and compare how much the kids have grown. That piece of wood is our measurement board! We have moved so many times over the past few years and it always comes with us! Duckie just had to sneak Honey into help her do school. You learn so much better with a puppy on your lap!!

try 3 weeks of Sonlight

Would you like to try Sonlight before you buy?

The link below enables you to try a 3 week sample - you could borrow the books from the library and see if it is what you are after. Once you have tried Sonlight you will LOVE it.

3 week trial