Week 10 Homeschool Playschool Preschool

 Monday was a dream. Our weeks are so versatile in homeschooling. Some weeks we go go go go go. And then we have days and weeks like this where there is rest. Both are good. Both are necessary for a healthy and effective means of teaching. Both allow different points of learning and opportunity. Monday? Monday, we embraced the opportunity to bond, snuggle, rest, bake, play games, and read. 

We slept in, woke slowly and made pumpkin bread together. Here is the recipe if interested. Then we enjoyed our bread for breakfast by the fire with blankets and pillows and we read countless books! Ellie never grew tired of that. She loves books most of all. We actually did this until it was time for lunch! We read stories, we read about Vincent Van Gogh as well. We began a new artist study for the next 3 months this week and he is our artist! Then we went to dance, came home for dinner, played a match game, and practiced writing her name with "q-tips" and paint, and then off to bed she went. 

On Monday, in the new month of November, we also began learning a new bible verse to memorize! 1 Thess. 5:18, "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." We actually have a CD we listen to in the car called "Seeds of Purpose," and this scripture is one of the verses sung. I love "Seeds of Purpose." It is nothing at all but the pure and exact scripture, God's word, in song form for kids (and adults too) that is a fun and easy way to memorize scripture. It really works.

Our November catechism point is, "Why did God make you and all things?" Answer: "For His own glory."

Tuesday this week was actually election day so we had a short, small, simple day again. Oh it was nice. We read some more books and did a few crafts and games, made a log geo-board, and gardened.

Wednesday, we took to the mountains for a hike to Rainbow Falls and Turtleback Falls at Gorges State Park in NC. 

Thursday was music and movement at our beloved Kindermusik class. 

Friday we had forest school with friends and it was Mushrooms and Fungi week (the start of it is on Fridays). So, on Friday we all took to our nature spot to hunt for mushrooms and fungi! We collected a few, then had a quick lesson on their purpose, anatomy, and where else we find them in daily life. Then the kids drew mushrooms and labeled them. We read the poem, "The Elf and The Dormouse" by Oliver Herford and observed the painting, "The Mushroom Gatherers" by Henry Herbert La Thangue. Then, I read and will continue reading throughout this week from our Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock, Mushroom in the Rain, Green World: Fungi and Lichens, Mushrooms and other non flowering plants, and Plants That Never Ever Bloom. We also saved a couple of mushrooms to make mushroom spore prints with on paper. We will do this over the weekend.