The grace of a schedule

I wrote this earlier this week to a friend...

Here's a classic for you. We had one day on a schedule - then muffed it all up the second day. I was so tempted, as I have done in the past, to just give up again and throw it all out and focus on how I failed, etc. But then, God's grace caught me - and I remembered that with a schedule I now have something to return to - I don't have to give up. I can begin again! It might not sound monumental, but it was liberating for me.

Vikings - Part 2

I just realized that I hadn't finished the posts about our Viking projects... (an earlier post)

"To the boats, lads! To the boats!"

Now we were on to the boats...

(Point by point might be easier to follow.)

We got our basic design from Technology in the Time of the Vikings by Peter Hicks. We borrowed it from our local library.

1. We drew a basic Viking longboat shape onto a piece of cardstock.

2. We cut it out - then traced it onto another piece of cardstock.

3. We stapled the ends together - gave it a little squeeze together to create a boat shape.

4. We used a piece of standard paper to trace the size and shape needed for the deck, and cut it out.

5. Then we cut that out and traced it to cardstock adding a 1 cm border (except at the bow and stern points, which needed to be kept to the pattern in order to fit back in the boat).

6. We cut out a small piece of cardstock to use as the mast support (see photo).

7. Then we painted the body of the boat and the deck.

8. To attach the deck cardstock to the body of the boat, we made small cuts in the outer edge of the deck cardstock and then stapled it in the body of the boat.

9. For a mast, we glued five popsicle / iceblock sticks together using a hot glue gun. We used one stick in the centre of the other other four to stabilise the mast and to create a slot at the top for the sail to attach. (see photo)

10. We attached the mast support to the deck with hot glue and cut a small slit in the deck for the mast to slide into. (nope, she's not seaworthy. :)

11. Then we slid the mast into the mast support and the hole in the deck. I turned the boat upside down and added a bit of hot glue for an extra solid mast. Those stormy northern seas can be rough on a ship, you know.

12. The boys spent time designing and decorating their own square sails. The we attached the sail to the mast by gluing a popsicle stick to the top of the sail - only at each end. That way we could slide the sail into the mast.

Now, that gave us the basics of the boat. We also added a top flag, shields around the outer edge (in true Viking flair), and a dragon masthead and tail.

This was a fun project with lots of designing and creative opportunities... for all of us.

My attempts at getting organised...

I have been realizing that if I want our homeschool days to have a rhythm, then our home has to have some rhythm too. So I have begun to sketch out some ideas... feel free to print and use them if you find them helpful.

A 2-week dinner schedule - with room for to-do's and shopping needs. I got the quote from a story I read about Ruth Bell Graham who had this quote above her kitchen sink.

I really wanted the boys to be involved in helping, but all too often I would forget and be unprepared for their help. I find if I schedule it in, then it is there in black and white - it's a way of holding myself to it, too. A Helper Schedule.

Read-Aloud list - to keep a record of the books we read aloud together. I'll be putting together some form of reviews for each one too (any suggestions?).

Read-Aloud Ideas list - to keep a record of those books that other people mention to me and I write on random bits of paper which I am always meaning to compile.

I am working on our schedules, so when I nail down some forms for those I'll post them as well.

Beginnings

I am attaching here two things I used with the boys to start off our year.

A list of Goals

and

A 'Who Am I?' sheet

For those of you who know me well, don't fall over when you think of me helping to set goals, although I must say I feel highly inadequate to help anyone set goals. I am not by nature a forward thinking person, yet I am beginning to see the great benefit that we can reap from setting goals. I explained it to the boys like an archer aims at a target, goals give us something to set our sights for - to head towards.

The 'Who Am I?' sheet was adapted from another homeschool mum's idea. (Jessica Fisher at lifeasmom.com) I like the idea of having a snapshot of the boys at the beginning of each year.

A chore chart

The other day, 0ne of my closest friends and I were talking about chores and helping our kids be responsible for their own chores. I mentioned that right now we have a system that seems to help keep the boys on task at least for their set morning responsibilities (brushing teeth, making bed, unloading the dishwasher, etc.). So I thought I would post it here in case it is beneficial for anyone else. (To give credit where credit is due, it was actually my husband's idea, and I carried it out).

The basic premise is 'to do' and 'done' columns with magnets that the boys move across when they have completed their chore. I did little drawings and the words of the chore on each magnet (which is just simply drawn on paper, laminated and then a magnet stuck on the back with double sided tape - I'd tried hot glue too, but the double-sided tape worked better).

We've used our fridge as the chart. I made the lines out of black duct tape, and wrote the headings with permanent marker. And if others might not want to deface their fridge in such a way, any metal surface would work: a white board on the bedroom door or other communal area might be an option. I like the chart in the kitchen because it is central and I don't have to go far to keep track.

In our home, the boys know that they are not free to play until all their morning chores are finished. Some chores are personal (brush teeth, make bed, get dressed, feed dog, check goats) and some are rotated weekly (set table, unload dishwasher, laundry helper). The boys also check with me after all their chores are done with "Anything else to do, Mum?" This keeps them accountable to do their morning responsibilities with minimal nagging from me. It also lets me know when they've finished. And then if there are any other things to be done we can get them done, then the boys know they are free to play. I think I started that as well to begin to instill a habit of serving and offering to help.

I still have to remind them at times about being diligent, but this way I don't hear myself saying "Have you brushed your teeth? Have you made your bed?, etc." quite so often. I simply check their chart and if everything is not in the 'Done' column, then I remind them "Work before play." And 'check your chart'.

A new year!

Well, today is the day.

We are beginning our 'school' year today - and in a new way. We've been teaching the boys since, well, since the womb, I suppose. (I used to read out loud to my eldest when he was in my womb - mostly, JRR Tolkien, at that time)

But it is a bit different now. I've been feeling the need, for the good of us all, to be more organized, consistent and purposeful in our learning. This week we will begin small with a few new things - and move our way towards a schedule.

I've often thought how God ordered His world and gave us seasons - a rhythm to life. I'd like to order our days like that with a purposeful rhythm.

Alphabet games

I was just reading a recent article on the Simply Charlotte Mason website about teaching the alphabet and it reminded me of an activity I used to do with the boys.

When my eldest was 2 or 3, I made the letters of the alphabet using a single sheet of paper per letter – drew a fun stick figure on it and then coloured the letters in with fun, bright colours. Then I laminated them – for longevity.
We played a wide variety of games with these letters. One of our favourites was to lay out a selection of the letters and then I’d say “Jump to the P” or “Put one foot on the G”, etc. As their letter recognition got better, I’d add things like “Walk to the L, Put your right hand on the H, then hop over the Z”, etc. As the boys were able to spell simple words, I’d lay out the letters and have them collect and then spell “CAT” or others. I also used the letters for phonic recognition rather than letter name recognition.
It was a fun game for the boys to use their bodies and minds.