Learning In Grace: play dough

Dear Lou,

For 4 years now, I have been able to witness every step of your learning. My only regret, Every. Single. Day, is how I wish I could have homeschooled you from day 1! But God had a plan, and though, its been 4 years, our journey of homeschooling each year, feels like its just beginning, and I think its because God is doing a work in Both of us, and I am so excited about learning what else he has in store to mold each one of us into the Women of God he has called us to be.

I started off writing this explaining to the blog world about what you have been up to, but as I ended the post, I felt like I needed this to be for you, and not just about you. I spend a lot of time sharing about what the boys do, and new ideas for tot trays, but I want you to know, even though you are getting older, I still love watching you learn. Sitting back and seeing you play and hearing your ideas. I love that you are 12 and still love to play just as much as your brothers. I love your adventurous heart, and your hunger for learning. Here are some of the things that you have done this month that I loved watching you do, and explore....

Here are somethings my Big Girl does, don't let 6th grade fool you, she loves teaching and helping, AND participating in most activities I do with my little ones :) Here is a Wrap Up of some of the things Lou has been doing and Learning :)

You are never too old for Water Beads...

In Science, she is learning all about the Human Body with Apologia Exploring Human Anatomy she has done lots of experiments regarding the body, here Lou, along with her cousin, (who is also homeschooled) are making a edible model of the Human Heart using Graham Crackers, Marshmallows, and icing.

Some Dramatic Doctor Playtime, as Doc Cowboy, and Doc Butter work on Lous kneecap to see if she has any torn ligaments and if she may need surgery ...

Here we are using the Magic School-bus Science Kit - Human Body. It provides all the materials you need to do their experiments. Here the kids are making a ball and socket joint, using a ping pong ball, tape, and a rolled up piece of construction paper.

Cowboy and Butter love participating in all of Lous experiments, and I am so glad they do! They are learning so much just by wanting to be "Big" like their sissy. Here Cowboy and Butter are learning what a ball and socket joint is and moving it around to feel what it does.

Yes Mommy even tried too =)

I love when my kids use their imaginations!! Lou has an excellent imagination, even at 12 years old she still has the best ideas and it really gets the boys excited! This particular morning, the kids made pancakes, and had a tea/breakfast party for their stuffed animals.

Cookie Monster of Course was very excited and pretty much ate all the pancakes =0

I love these two girls they are such a blessing! They love helping and teaching right along with me! The boys really love them and I am just so glad they have excellent loving roll models !! Who still love to play like the little ones! Here they are sorting and playing with water beads.

Art Lou is painting a pumpkin while the boys play with playdough.

Beautiful Pumpkin!

Working on a reading and writing project where she writes a story and also illustrates it then she will present in front of class.

Here she is presenting us with her written and illustrated story

Exploring!!!

This was not an assigned thing- this was FREE TIME! Her good friend Chrissy was over spending the day with us, and they decided to go "exploring" they ended up finding an old Turtle Shell. This really sparked Lous interest, So they started observing it and pulled out books to learn more about turtles... I LOVE HOMESCHOOLING!!! This is a perfect example of why I love it so much :) Freedom in Learning.

Lou pulled out her microscope and looked at different parts of the shell, then looked up in her skeleton book to learn more about turtle skeletons.

Playing Hi-Ho Cherrio with the boys because she is just an awesome sister like that!

Decorating Felt Pumpkins

Yes, I know.. Boys and Fingernail Polish??? But hey, shes gotta get practice in right??? HAHA - we just paint their toes, who cares, they are little and I think its awesome how its times like these that make memories for a lifetime!!! I can hear Lou now telling their future wives about how they used to beg her to paint their finger and toe nails! They absolutely love it! And I think it is ADORABLE!!!

Lou is a Girl Scout, and this month she Bridged from a Jr, to a Cadette!! She also received the Bronze Award which is a very great honor in the Girl Scouting Community and takes a lot of hard work and dedication, I am very proud of her!!

Ice Cream Truck comes down our street... and the days that we catch him, I end up with 3 HAPPY- smiling fudge faces!!!

Clay Model of the Brain

For history we use Story of the World Vol. 1- We are studying Ancient times. Its for all ages, and the boys even do the maps, and coloring pages that correlate with the lessons. Though they are still too young to grasp everything, they are learning a TON with Lou about history!!

Bible- Who is God- Apologia

Gin, Lou and Butter are acting out a skit, on how would you tell someone about Jesus? How would you know if they knew him? What questions might you ask them? I don't have very many students, but when we have an extra over for a day, we make the best of it! I love watching them act out different skits!!

My Beautiful 6th Grader!! Your doing so much this year and learning a ton. I am so blessed to have you as my child, my helper, but most importantly, my very closest friend... There is just something about moms and daughters and the bond they make. Each day, I try my very best to be there for you, show you how crazy I truly am, and teach you how to be a wife, mother, and friend. I know I fail... A WHOLE LOT- and I am by no means perfect, but if not for grace... I just pray the very best over your life in hopes that you grow up to be a Godly Little Lady.. So far... I could not ask for anything better than what the Lord placed in my hands 12 years ago.. You are Wise beyond your years..and just an amazing human being... I LOVE YOU!!!

Note For Lou:

The Very Tree of Life

proverbs 13-18

You’re blessed when you meet Lady Wisdom,

when you make friends with Madame Insight.

She’s worth far more than money in the bank;

her friendship is better than a big salary.

Her value exceeds all the trappings of wealth;

nothing you could wish for holds a candle to her.

With one hand she gives long life,

with the other she confers recognition.

Her manner is beautiful,

her life wonderfully complete.

She’s the very Tree of Life to those who embrace her.

Hold her tight—and be blessed!

I love you my DEAR SWEET Lou!

~Love Mommy~ 3-5-2014

Tot School- Cowboy is currently 42 months old

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Trays this week

Included:

(Scroll to bottom for widget with tools used and where to purchase or just click on links throughout the posts)

Stories about Jesus for toddlers

Iguanas on Ice Alphatales

My i book

Tot Book

Tinkertoys

Melissa and Doug ABC Magnets

Dry Erase Center

Moon Dough Pizza Maker

Foam Shape Magnets

Pattern Cards for Shape Magnets

Chart Time

Our chart this week looks a little different because I am trying to, along with the Letter of the week, a shape and a number. If it gets to be too much information then I am going to back off but this week he seemed to handle all 3 just fine :) This weeks shape was square and number 3.

Computer Time Intro Letter Ii

Another new thing I decided to try this week is to start the week by using our computer to introduce the letter we are working on for the week. We use ABCmouse.com and love it. I was going through his lessons that he has completed on there, and came across something I didn't know. Parents can go into the lesson plan for the week and actually set up a plan focusing on whatever they want. So I found letter i and we did all the letter i activities that were available on the site. I was so impressed and decided that it would be a great way to start an introduction of a new letter each week! I am pretty sure I can do this with numbers and shapes as well!

Here we are going over our iguana discussion page in our tot book and tracing letter Ii using our Dry Erase Center.

Our Chart had a House Scavenger Hunt on it for the number 3 to find 3 doors- which our schoolhouse has exactly that! Then he is tracing his number 3 worksheet which also has 3 squares on it to trace and reading our on Iguana's on Ice Alphatales book.

We colored some shapes, (ok I colored most of them because Cowboy is NOT much for coloring) then I cut them out and he pasted them onto green construction paper with a picture of an iguana.

Our vocabulary cards this week were with the the theme igloo..... soooo he really learned some new words because in Louisiana, we don't see much snow nor do we have a need for half of the cards that were in this stack! Such as snow boots, snow mobile, ice skates etc. But we learned them anyway :)

Playing with Tinker Toys.....

Foam Shape Magnets and Pattern Cards on his lap desk - He played with these a LONG time!

Size sequence cards- Number the igloos smallest to largest 1-3, and shadow matching cap. and lower case letter Ii.

Glitter the iguana!

Trace and color the squares red worksheet- then cut and paste them on the presents........

Used some gems to follow the number 3 maze to the number 3 in a square.......

Trace the letter Ii using play dough in our dry erase center.......

Free Play!!!! Made silly faces with play dough, ABC Magnets, wiggly eyes, and cut up straws.......

Letter I craft MARBLE PAINT!!! Just got a top to a box put in the letter I we usually cut out, squirted some paint, got some marbles and just rolled them back and fourth and side to side.

Put it in the sun for a little while then cut it and he glued on the iguana's :) I love how pretty it came out!

Reading in the Beginning in our Children's Bible.

Using Gems to cover letter Ii's to get to the iguanas food!

Another I craft. Made an Iguana with the the letter I. Using construction paper, glue, scissors, wiggly eyes, and a tiny piece of pipe cleaner for the tongue :) He wanted to play with his new iguana friend and was not happy that he had to dry first.

Big hit this week MOON DOUGH Pizza Maker!!

Tiny Tot School: Butter is currently 16.5 months old

Reading some books

Playing with blocks

I LOVE THIS PICTURE!!!!

Oh how I wish they always played this well together :) Here they are working as a team to make an airplane! LOVE this one too!

Lou went to her best friends house who moved away last year :( So she was only here a few days this week.

First time playing with moon dough.... only with a VERY watchful eye!! Because of course he wanted to eat it!!!

Butter is also currently teething!! His molars are coming in and he has been a slobbery snotty mess for a week now... this drives me nuts... but, I deal ;) So please excuse his slobber shirt!

All was well...having a grand ole time and them YUPPPPP.... he went for it! Caught YELLOW handed!! I was shocked he lasted as long as he did but after that it was time to put up the moon dough!!