He Is Risen Garden

The kids and I are working on a fun project in preparation for the
Easter season. I first saw this idea on a homeschool group that I am
on. If you want to do it with your children, you need to start soon.

The garden is a large saucer such as the type you would put under a
flower pot. You fill it with soil and lay a small flower pot on it's
side in the soil. Pile more soil on top of the pot to form a hill,
keeping the open end of the pot exposed. The soil is generously
sprinkled with grass seed. A large rock is placed along side of the
open end of the flower pot. This is the stone in front of the empty
tomb. On the hill, behind the flower pot, you place 3 small twig
crosses. Spritz the seed covered soil with water from a spray bottle
several times a day to keep the soil damp. Place in a sunny window. It
takes about 2 weeks for the grass seed to grow. When finished, you have
a nice little garden scene with a grass covered hill, with 3 crosses,
and the empty tomb in the foreground.

The kids and I are doing this as a part of our devotions in preparations
of the Easter season. May the idea be one to bless your family as well.

New Homeschool Adventure

On Monday, I placed an order for a new curriculum for the kids.   Yes, I said the kids as in plural!  Little Miss has been working through the Rod & Staff materials, but I can see much problem that Little Man will have.  One big problem is that it is all workbook/text book based.  It may be years before Little Man will be ready for that.  So, what to do in the meantime?  I saw how Little Miss has learned to read, but not through phonics.  She memorizes the words (which is important) but struggles with blending letter sounds.  This is a big issue for me.  I see it as a problem caused by not having gone through a kindergarten curriculum.  Unfortunately, Rod & Staff has preschool, then jumps straight into 1st grade.  They do not offer a kindergarten level.

After much prayer, I am stepping back from the Rod & Staff curriculum and switching to My Father's World.  I will include the worksheets that are appropriate to use up what we have already purchased.  Little Miss will also be doing the Rod & Staff math that she has been doing well in.  My Father's World is a unit study curriculum.  We are beginning with the Kindergarten level.  This will given Little Miss the chance to review the phonics that she had missed and develop a stronger foundation in it.  Along with Little Miss, our 6 yr old grandson will be doing the curriculum with her.  Of course, Little Man will be taking part wherever possible. 

In the autumn, after they have finished the curriculum, Little Miss and grandson will be starting the My Father's World 1st grade curriculum together.  At that time, I will begin working on the Kindergarten program with Little Man.  Unlike the 1st time through with Little Miss, he will be exposed to more of it on a level that he can handle.  The plan is to use it as Little Man's Pre-K and Kindergarten curriculum.  This is not unusual for kids with learning delays.  By the time he has gone through it twice, he will have a good foundation being put into place.

Little Miss and grandson are very excited about the new curriculum.  It will be here in a couple of weeks.  One of the parts that they are liking the most is that they will be doing the same work together.  Both kids love to be read to and this curricula is very heavy on reading.  Yet another plus for us!  I am at peace with this decision.  My eldest daughter is happy about it also.  She is looking forward to it almost as much as her son is.