Simple Apple Mosaic Craft for Preschoolers

Everyone loves apples, right? And who doesn't love simple crafts to have fun with preschoolers? Well, why not a craft with apples in it?
A wonderful and incredibly creative mom from our co-op organized this activity. All the children really enjoyed it. And the best part is that this same mosaic concept can be used for other shapes or even for themed pictures.

Meaningful Homeschool Décor: Story and Tutorial

The new (home)school year is about to begin and many of us are not only thinking about curriculum, but we are also thinking about room setups and decorations. This can be exciting and cumbersome at the same time. 

I personally love to change things around every once in a while, but I am also happy when a big project is done. I am sure you know what I mean. Well, this post is about one piece of decoration for our homeschool that I decided to make myself. I hope you enjoy it and get inspired to make your own, too.

Homeschooling Journal: April 2014 Part 6

French: Action Verbs

We practiced the motions as we learned the action words in French.

Marche: Walk             Assis: Sit

Debout: Stand Up      Danse: Dance

Tourne: Turn Around  Saute: Jump/Hop

Court: Run                 Dorme: Sleep

Read on

Homeschooling Journal: March 2014 Part 3

In art today we used collage a bit more to decorate a letter. Each kid got their first initial. We focused on filling the white space, mixing colors and adding buttons for dimension.

Mardi Gras Party on our street

Spring Butterfly Mosaics

Spring has been here for a few weeks and we are loving the nicer weather, the flowers budding and the birds chirping. We are also enjoying the hummingbirds that have moved into our neighborhood as well as the colorful butterflies.

My sister-in-law taught a class about metamorphosis and using that information to apply it to our own lives and made this craft with the class. I asked her for permission to share these. I am sure you won't only love them, but be inspired to make them yourself with your children. It can be so much fun! It will spark creativity, togetherness and celebrating differences.

For this craft, I am not listing materials because the sky is the limit. :) Enjoy! 

Feel free to share your beautiful creations in the comments below or on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/thenaturalhomeschool

Homeschooling Journal: March 2014 Part 1

What a great weekend we had! First, it rained on Saturday (which we don't get very often) and second, we had a fun Mardi Gras party on Sunday.

Homeschooling Journal: February 2014 Part 2

For our homeschool co-op, he picked this outfit: sweat pants and cowboy boots. Can't get more comfortable than that! Haha!

                                           

Homeschooling Journal: January 2014 Part 6

Happy birthday, baby girl! She is two now and she is such a blessing to us! We love her!

Science Experiments Class

In science this month we have learned about the brain and nervous system - 3 parts of the brain, how the brain stem works, coordination, hemispheres, nerves. 
We also learned about cells - basic building blocks, working together as a team and identifying different cells - this was met with an experiment - the kids loved it
Today we will be learning about why our arms swing (M. is curious and it goes back to the parts of the brain lesson). 
We will then move on to learn about our ears with a few experiments and hopefully I'll remember to take pictures! 

Easiest Fish Craft for Preschoolers and Toddlers

Homeschooling Journal: January 2014 Part 5

Montessori-Inspired Language Arts: Forming words and pre-writing

This activity is a Melissa & Doug birthday gift that K got last year. He is enjoying it very much and is really getting into it.

How Our Homeschool Co-op Got Started and How it Works

This post is in response to several people that have approached me lately about wanting to know how homeschooling co-ops work and how to start one. I hope this post answers most of your questions and inspires you to start one.

Our 2013 (July-Dec) Homeschool Journal

Our 2013 (Jan-June) Homeschool Journal

Homeschooling December 2013 Part 2

Salt Dough Recipe

Homeschooling November 2013 Part 3

This year, my father will be celebrating 40 years of working for the same company (he's moved around in different division within the company, but he has had the tenacity, diligence and discipline to work with the same company for that long. What an accomplishment! We are so proud of him! We couldn't be there for his celebration/ceremony, but we sent this video to him. :)

"God Made All Flowers" Craft (For Toddlers and Preschoolers)

Are you looking for a super fun, quick, cheap and meaningful craft for a rainy day (like in our case)?  Look no further! Here it is!  "God Made All Flowers"

                                   

Homeschooling October 2013 Part 5 (2 freebies)

Field Trip: Pumpkin Patch

"If the family were a fruit, it would be an orange, a circle of sections, held together but separable - each segment distinct."     - Letty Cottin Pogrebin

Homeschooling October 2013 Part 4

A cute video to begin the post with... She is saying "you're welcome" after I said "thank you" to her. Sweetness!

Art: Fall Beauty in a Frame

These are stick frames with contact paper and fake Fall-colored leaves (real leaves can be used, but we live in the desert, so no Fall colors for us).

More videos for you!

History Sentence: Week 1

Tell me about Commandments one through five:

Science: Week 1

What are the classifications of living things?

Math: Skip Count the 2s

We also learned about: 1) The Fertile Crescent.  Mediterranean Sea Mesopotamia Euphrates River Tigris River Sumer. 2) Timeline: Age of Ancient Empires (Week 1) Creation and the Fall The Flood and the Tower of Babel Mesopotamia and Sumer Egiptians 3000BC Indus River Valley Civilization Minoans and Mycenaeans If you are interested in learning more about Classical Education, feel free to check this wonderful resource by clicking here. Baby girl is getting bigger and looking less like a baby. Can't believe it!

                   

Montessori Practical Life: Folding Dish Rags

Step 1: Extend the rag.

Step 2: Fold it in half Step 3: Place your hand in the middle.

                         

Step 4: Fold on side over your hand. 

Step 5: Remove your hand.

Step 6: Fold the other side.

All done. 

Look at these beautiful Fall colors on this corn! So intricate. So special. God is such an amazing Creator!

                

Spanish: Las Figuras (The Shapes)

In Spanish, we reviewed the shapes we had learned (círculo, cuadrado, triángulo) and expanded the lesson to five more shapes (rectángulo, ovalo, diamante, octágono, estrella). For our activity, I would tell them the name of a shape in Spanish and they would draw it. I drew the shapes for those who were having a hard time, especially octagons and stars. They all did really, really well.

 

                    

Classical Education: Lapbook

From Wisdom and Righteousness. Please click here to see more details on the lapbooks she offers and to purchase. Worth every penny and very relevant to what we are studying. These photos are purposely posted small and are NOT for copying or for printing. These are merely to explain what the kids and I are learning. She did a great job! If you are interested, please purchase these from this website.

This section contains the verses on the Ten Commandments 
and Math (skip counting from 1s through 15s)

This section includes the life of Moses, Latin Cases, The Ten Commandments, English Grammar (prepositions), and Geography (The Ancient Empires).

                                 

In this section, as we talk about the topics mentioned, we 
can write things inside that are important or that stood out.

This section has History on Ancient Empires, Art and Latin.

I am sorry that the pictures are blurry. It was past 1 am when I took 
them and I thought that they looked blurry because I was so tired!

This section has Poetry and a place where they can 
draw something from the lessons that they liked.

In this section, the kids draw the events that happened 
in the ancient empire of their choice in sequence.

In this section, we have a lot of Science topics, including vertebrates, invertebrates, the classifications of living things, the kingdoms 
of living things, animal and plant cell parts, experiments 
and questions about cells and experiments.

                      

This is a timeline to be filled out as we learn of the different events in history.

                      

Bible Study: Women's Conference

This was beyond fun!

Fall treats... Acorn squash rolls! You can also make them with pumpkin, sweet potato, or any winter squash you like. Check out the recipe here.

Montessori Culture (Geography): Penpal and Postcard Exchange

K and I went to the Book Fair to buy his penpal buddy a birthday gift to mail all the way to England. He picked a cute Jack and the Beanstalk story. It was just K and me. It was just like a mom and son date. And the weather was perfect, too.

                  

Inspiration...

Montessori Practical Life and Sensorial: Changing Clothes

                

                

Montessori Culture (Geography): Penpal and Postcard Exchange

K finally, after a few weeks, wrote a cute letter to his penpal in England. He dressed up as the Transformer Bumblebee specifically to let H know that he loves Transformers.

We also included a birthday postcard and a gift because his birthday is 10 November.

                    

                    

MOPS (Moms of Preschoolers) Clothing Swap

Yesterday, we had a full day (and even that is an understatement). We led/organized a clothing swap (where people donate stuff, we set it out and then anyone can come take what they need). Whew! It was busy and there was a lot of stuff. When the swap was over, we packed up what was left and took it to the battered women's shelter. Everything will be put to good use. Awesome!

Montessori Culture (Geography): Penpal and Postcard Exchange

We received two postcards this week: one from our dear missionary friends to the Philippines and another one from our dear friend, who recently moved to Georgia. Sweet!