Happy Hearts Academy At-home Learning

The tween has set up camp in his room this year. He keeps his school items in his bookshelf next to his bed. He and the cat spend the morning together on the carpet working through math problems, etc. We've been using a mix of Rod & Staff, School Aid, and Seton homeschool materials.

The Kindergartener spends a limited amount of time at our table working on handwriting, math skills, and phonics. Much of her formal learning is via Starfall, a free online learning program. We use the CD-ROM. The rest of the time she plays with learning toys, helps me around the house, and goes outside exploring the flora and fauna. Her favorite outdoor toy is a magnifying glass. She and her father spent at least an hour outside this morning examining caterpillars, worms, and plants.

They went to the library and returned with a learning backpack about teeth and an interactive Mickey Mouse Clubhouse DVD. I really like these DVDs because she can watch it on the computer and play the learning games, ages two - six with two levels. I read to her as much as she will allow. Her attention span is still developing, and hers is very short, just like her brother's was at this age.

Kindergarten is the easiest and most fun year of homeschooling. The real work happens later when I am trying to teach her to read. I'm praying she is easier than her brother!  He took a lot of patience and hard work. First and second grade were very long, but it was also the most rewarding. Once he learned to read , he really enjoyed it. I'm glad we persisted with the phonics because he now has a really good foundation and grasp of  English. We used(use) the challenging and thorough Rod & Staff English/Reading curriculum.

Some of our extended learning resources is gained from free online public domain(vintage) curricula.

Both children are strong visual learners.

Art History Cards

 Masterpiece Cards

These are a bit pricey, but a good value for the number and selection of classic art cards in the set. I had received two samples earlier this year, and when my daughter showed interest in them, I ordered the set. Her birthday money from family nearly covered it all. Each of the 250 cards has succinct art history information on the back. This set is good for all ages. The younger children can look at the pictures while older children and students can use them as a study aid.

9/13/10 Update: We receive them today and my daughter really liked them; however, I did need to remove at least one due to adult content - a 1960's modern nude by Tom Wesselmann. Sorry, I'm not a fan. In this nude the women is treated like a commodity - seductive and depersonalized. There may be more modern reclining nudes, but a quick scan reveals mostly classic art.

The collection has more of a secular flavor(almost downbeat and hard-edged) than I would have liked. Italian art was only briefly represented, and there was a good number of modern artists from the 1950's - 1960's which I didn't like. This survey collection was different than the art covered in my 1980's college art history survey courses(U.of F.) using Gardiner's Art Through the Ages. Although I was a bit disappointed, it is still nice to have for homeschool, and maybe I can add to it with some postcards from another source(s).

First Day of School Certificate

Forgot to post this earlier. Free printable here.

Homeschool Humor

Printable September Poetry and Flower Lesson(Elementary School)

September

The golden-rod is yellow,
The corn is turning brown,
The trees in apple orchards
With fruit are bending down.
The gentian's bluest fringes
Are curling in the sun,
In dusty pods the milkweed
Her hidden silk has spun.
The sedges flaunt their harvest
In every meadow nook,
And asters by the brookside
Make asters in the brook.
By all these lovely tokens
September days are here,
With summer's best of weather,
And autumn's best of cheer.
~Helen Hunt Jackson (1831-1885)

Includes student questions and vocabulary. See printable pages here, pages13-14, 1889 fourth grade reader, free and in public domain. To save or print, just right click on the image of the page at the link, otherwise you'll get the entire screen page.

Image source

Vintage Story Starters - September Apples

We used this vintage turn-of-the-century picture page today for coloring and conversation. An older child could use the picture to write a story about what's happening. It's in two pieces, but with a little cutting and pasting, it joins together well.

Free and in public domain. I found these in a teacher's periodical(early 20th century) at Google Books. Click on images to enlarge.

I'll have to make a vintage "A" is for apple handwriting/penmanship page to match. There are many early elementary free printable worksheets online to use with an apple theme. We used a free printable apple maze found at Google Images.

Free Vintage September Blackboard Calendars

From a 1915 teacher magazine that I found at Google Books. Click on image to enlarge. This is in public domain and free to use. See here for years which have a common starting weekday and equal number of days for the year 2010.

Oops! This one is not the correct one. September begins on a Wednesday this year. I'll post another soon. This calendar is not from 1915. Too bad because this is a sweet one.

Update: Here is the correct 1915 September calendar - good for 2010.

And a blank one for a schedule:

Handwriting Worksheet Generators

This is so handy! My daughter needs to trace all her letters right now. With the worksheet generator, I was able to make a worksheet tonight with the traceable letters of her name on each line, giving her lots of practice. There are many choices for fonts, and the option for traceable and non traceable lines. Allows short sentences, letters, and words.

Click here.

Here's another one which offers a cursive font.

Magic Milkshakes at Home

These are so delicious! I can't eat them because I'm dieting, but I always take a spoonful before serving it to my daughter, the chocolate monster.

• 1-1/2 to 2 cups ice water
• 1-1/2 cups nonfat dry milk powder
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 to 1-1/2 trays of ice cubes, as much as you can spare
• 2 tablespoons corn oil plus a 5-second squirt of non-stick spray for emulsification purposes

Read the rest here at Hillbilly Housewife.

Schoolaid Health Curriculum

We've been using a health curriculum published by SchoolAid since early elementary. Schoolaid is a conservative non-profit Christian publisher(Conservative Mennonite/Amish). They also publish the Climbing to Good English curriculum. The series, grades three through eight, dedicates itself to teaching Christian principles in basic health knowledge, affording a practical foundation for healthy living.  Physiology, nutrition, home economics, safety, first aid, and  manners are covered in a straight forward way. The early books were very helpful in learning good hygiene and  household safety. I talk to my son about these things(in one ear and out the other), but it really sunk in after he studied this book series. The first two in the series are workbooks, and the remaining two are textbooks. This series is very practical! Most everything learned is useful for everyday living.

Free printable food and hygiene coloring pages for younger children.

Free Early Learning Online Printables: Farm Animal Worksheets

These are so cute! I'm collecting farm animal themed (her favorite) worksheets for my daughter this year. Printable worksheets here.

Free Children's Animal Sewing Card Printouts

This blogger includes a tutorial as well. How generous! See here.

Make a Natural Looking Wooden Sandbox

A good tutorial with pictures. See here

DIY Ladder Bookshelves

Just one of a few ideas. See here. The shelves on the metal ladders would need to be secured. Perhaps some liquid nails would do the trick.

Image from link.

Make a Children's Sewing Kit Tutorial

Tutorial here.

She has got some more children's sewing freebies here. I like her animal sewing card downloads for preschoolers.

Image from tutorial.

Repeating Calendars

Calendars never really go out of date. Eventually the days repeat themselves, and you can use a vintage or antique calendar again. See which years can be used again for 2010 and 2011. I've found a few vintage public domain images of children's school(blackboard) calendars by month. I'll post them as the months come up, and any others that I find for the entire year.

Cut and Paste Printables

I've got a preschooler who will be enjoying these free cut and paste printables tomorrow.