Califoregon Living

Fingerplay

“Two Helping Hands”

Bible Story

Exodus 40:36-38

Children's Bible: God watched over the tabernacle.

Dramatic Play

The boys built a “tabernacle” with a blanket and table.  We took a candle and that represented 'God'.  'A' would move the candle and that would signify that the Israelites ('R' and friend, 'O') had to break down the tabernacle and move it to wherever God moved to.

Letter Activity

The boys practiced writing the letter 'H'

Bible Activity

We talked about how the tabernacle was full of beautiful things to honor God.  I asked, “what are some beautiful things we have in our church to honor God?”

'A': Trucks

'R': Cars

'A': Cross

'A': Flowers

'A': Quilts (Good one!)

'R': Pictures

'A': Stuff that I make 🙂

Music

Palyed and sang, “The Ten Commandments”

For Fun

Drumming on dishes!

PE

'A' had martial arts.  This was the first time he witnessed sparring from the older kids.  He was a little traumatized.  Poor guy.  He said he did not want to go back to martial arts, until he found out that Auntie 'S' was going to watch him Thursday.  He decided it was OK to go back.

Lori, aka Slacker Mom, asked about the homeschool qualifying course I was taking, and if it was required or extra.

In Washington state, you are required to meet one of the four criteria:

1) be supervised by a certified teacher

2)have 45 college quarter credit hours

3) complete a course in home education

4) be deemed qualified by the local superintendent

I do not have a college degree, but I am pretty certain I have 45 credits.  With that being said, I still chose to enroll in a homeschool qualification course for the benefit of myself and my children.

I chose to do an “at home” course.  It is much more time and labor intensive than the other courses available (there are courses you can take over a couple of weekends), but it also incorporates the Christian viewpoint of homsechooling as a part of raising and training up your child, and not just the specific logistics of homeschooling in Washington.

The course is from Homeschool Oasis, by speaker and homeschool veteran, Barb Shelton.  It is self paced.  I began the course in February, and will probably complete it by the end of the year.  I would recommend it for anyone, not just those in Washington state.  It covers a ton of territory, and I am emerging from this course with complete confidence and conviction that what we are doing is right and the will of God for our family.

Fingerplay: “Two Helping Hands”

Theme: Worked on 'Apple' Lapbook

Bible Story: Exodus 35:4-9

Children's Bible:  God's people brought gifts for  the tabernacle.

Active Exploration:  The boy's built their own “tabernacle” for God.

Letter Activity:  Hide and Seek 'H'.  “A” did not do as well as expected this time.

Math Activity:  Created a page for their number book.  I (pathetically) drew nine bottle of perfume for 'R' to color.  'A' drew the bottles himself.

Social:  The boys went to a friend's house for five hours today.  They played with two girls, ages 3 and 14 months.  They walked to the park and played for a long time.

Read Aloud: Brer Rabbit Goes out to Dinner; Brer Rabbit and the Tar Baby

Spanish:  Sang 'Estrellita, Donde Estas', and learned the word for 'apple'='manzana'

Today was Friday morning Bible Study.  The boys went into their class, where they played/learned for two hours.  We did not do any homeschool activities today.

Thursday was MOPS day for me.  The boys go to my friend's house (she is going to be a HS mom as well), where the boys play with her two boys.  I gave her the curriculum for the day.  Here is what they did…

Fingerplay

“Two Helping Hands”

Bible Story

Exodus 32:7-8, 19

children's Bible: The people prayed to a golden calf

Devotional Activity

“Honor your father and mother” Exodus 20:12

My friend read a story to them about disobeying and honoring your parents even when they discipline you.

Letter Activity

The boys colored in a large letter 'H'.

Bible Activity

My friend had the boys draw and color that world.  Whe wrote on top of their paper, “God made the world.”  She also taught them that when we pray, we are not praying to an object, but to the one and only God.

Theme: Worked on 'apple' lapbook

Fingerplay: “Two Helping Hands”

Bible Story: Exodus 31:18, 32:15-16

Children's Bible: The Ten Commandments

Math Activity

The boys made a sticker book.  Each page had a number on it and the corresponding numbers of stickers were placed 1-10.

We also did a “Count on Me” worksheet.  They drew 1-5 stones in a box.

Letter Activity

Studied the 'H' flashcard and talked about what words begin with 'H'

Music

Played and sang “The Ten Commandments”

Composer

Listened to Beethoven's “Moonlight Sonata”, “Fur Elise”, “Symphony No. 5”

Spanish

Numbers 1-10

knife, fork, spoon (cuchillo, tenedor, cuchara)

Theme: Worked on 'Apple' Lapbook

Fingerplay: “Let My People Go”

Bible Story:

Exodus 15:11-15, 17:5-6

Children's Bible- God gave the Israelites food and water

Dramatic Play:

I scattered “manna” on the floor (packing peanuts).  first, the boys had a race to see who could get the most manna in their baskets.  then, I asked each boy to put a certain number (up to 20) pieces of manna in their basket.  “R” is pretty solid to 10.  “A” is pretty solid to 15, but needs help counting after that.

After we played this for a while, the boys kept pretending to eat the “manna”.  So, I tore up some tortillas and placed them in the baskets.  They had fun walking around and eating their manna.

Letter Activity:

“A” practiced writing the letter “G”, both upper and lower case.  He is having a tough time with getting the “hook” on the lowercase 'g' in the right direction.

PE

“A” was tested in martial arts today and advanced to a yellow stripe. (White…yellow stripe…) Woo Hoo!  His teacher treated everyone to Oreos after.

Theme

We worked on the 'Apple' lapbook

Fingerplay

“Let My People Go”

Bible Story

Exodus 14:21-27

Children's Bible: God had Moses part the Red Sea

Art Activity

The boys watercolored the Red Sea and removed a piece of paper to show where the sea parted.

Letter Activity

I drew the letter 'G' in chalk and the boys drove their cars on it, saying 'G'.

Bible Activity

We acted out this story.  'A' was Moses, 'R' was the Israelites who followed Moses through the sea, and I played the Egyptian soldiers, who ended up drowning…glug, glug, glug.  Good times…

(cute side note:) Later this evening, I was preparing dinner.  I had received a box with a bunch pf packing peanuts in it.  The boys asked if they oculd play with them.  I said 'yes, as long as you clean up after.'

A few minutes later, I hear them enveloped in recreating the Bible story we learned.  'A' was directing 'R' to be Moses and stretch his hand over the Red Sea (the peanuts), and 'A' played the soldiers who drowned.  I caught a few cute shots.

Music

“The Read Sea”.  We also spent about a half hour reviewing a bunch of the other songs we have listened to.

Nature

Today, we went on a little neighborhood nature walk.  We walked to a water tower, a good uphill walk for the boys.  I  asked the boys to look for items in nature they had not noticed before.

First item: 'A' noticed the Fireweed, and liked the curliness of the plant.  I have noticed the fireweed when it is in full bloom, but never like this.

The fireweed creates a soft, fluffy down, full of tiny seeds.

Second item: We noticed a gigantic laurel tree (usually they are small shrubs bordering yards).

The boys LOVE to collect leaves.  They also love to pawn the leaves off on me to carry.  I told 'A' I was not going to carry leaves this time.  This was his solution.

Third item: Here is a view of  Mount Si from the walk

Fourth item: Here is definitely something we don't see on this walk.  A crop of mushrooms.  We spent a good deal of time with mushroom ID sites, and think that these

are Coprinus Comatus:Shaggy Ink Cap

Social

Playdate with two girls, ages 4 and 20 months

Spanish

Reviewed colors and seasons