Mystery of History week 3 Sumerians book basket

These were the books we read this week for week Mystery of History. Monday through Wed. they read the 3 stories of Gilgamesh.Thursday they read the Tower of Babel, and today they read from the book First Civilizations.

 In the Epic of Gilgamesh there is a great flood, great ark, and a serpent.

 This was the reason for our telephone game yesterday as we looked at the time between the flood & the Sumerian Civilization. It also was a quick review of when we studied the flood last week and watched a film on how there are stories recorded of the flood in different civilizations around the world. Each different as they have been passed down through time.

This is the pop-up book the Tower of Babel. As you can see there is not a pop for every page but one at the top of the book you can look at the Tower as you change each page. I really liked how my youngest son Nehemiah from this picture realized the frustration and confusion from the languages being confused.

This the inside of The Sumerians Book. I read it outloud today to them. I really liked this book. There is more in the series.

They read a few pages on the Sumerians from the First Civilization book today.

I would not recommend this book.My older kids were reading it  and I am grateful they brought the book to me to make me aware of what was in the book! It had some some parts in it I felt was unappropriated. We  had another Epic of Gilgamesh book too that we threw away. I wanted to make you aware to look over these books before you hand them to your students and make your own decision. The children's version above however did not have any of the questionable material. I am kinda spoiled with the books recommended by the Wisdom Booklets have always been trust worthy as they were mostly faith building or missionary books.

I still don't know how I feel about the myths with my younger kiddos. I know that is a big debate in the Christian circles. I am ok with my older more mature students but will pray about the little guys. I prefer stories that build character and encourage Godly character. They did seem to like the stories. My concern was especially for Nehemiah who is 7 and was asking me when reading the stories of Gilgamesh if they were real. I certainly don't want to cause him confusion when it comes to the real living God & myths of ancient cultures.

They loved learning this week that Abraham was a Sumerian! So this week we learned about the culture and beliefs he lived in and will look at in a few weeks when God called him out of Ur. We are enjoying the Mystery of History lessons putting all the pieces of history together.

Apologia Botany Light hut & scavenge hunt lesson 1

 We also did our projects for Apologia Botany lesson 1 the Light Hut & a botany scavenger hut.

 Our light hut all done. I was so grateful that everything I needed was in my botany kit that I purchased from Creation Sensation, Well everything but the box :)

 Botany scavenger hunt time! The boys were a team and the girls were another team. The girls won. They had 30 minutes to collect everything they could on the scavenger hunt list.

                                                   I love God's creation!!

                                           Snack & fellowship time!!!

Mystery of History week 3 Activities

 It was a beautiful day to do school outside today! We got together with friends from our church to do our activities for the week. They are doing MOH with us which is making the school year fun.

 They are writing their name using Cuneiform letters onto clay.

 Here is a picture of ancient cuneiform compared to theirs. :)

 We also played the telephone game to remind us of how the real story of Noah's ark changed from the time of the flood to the Sumerians in the Epic of Gilgamesh.

It was a fun day !

Natural Speller and Illuminations year 1

 I was originally going to use Logic of English this year which includes spelling but once again changed plans at the last minute. I purchased Illuminations Year 1 to compliment Mystery of History & Biblioplan. I am not using the scheduling but instead some of the curriculum.
  Natural Speller is the spelling used by Illuminations and that is what we are using this year. So far we all like this spelling program and it may be a keeper in our homeschool. This book is designed for 1rst - 8th grade. The beauty about the Illuminations is it takes the book and creates lesson plans for you.
    I made a spelling folder that on the right side pocket I place the lesson plans for the week. Last weeks spelling test Angelo missed the three words Knuckles, precise, & knocked so I added them to this weeks spelling words. I also place spelling notebooking pages & writing paper that is needed in the folder on the right side.

   Another bonus that Illuminations does besides organize your spelling lessons is use information from Mystery of History for the dictation sentences for the test. Some of my students I will have them dictate the entire sentence for the test while others just the spelling word. It depends on the student and age. If they do not write the entire sentence I will read the sentence anyway so they can hear the word being used. This especially helps if you are using homophones for them to decide on.

 There is also an answer key to the spelling lessons in the Illuminations program. I have a Spelling tab in my mom's notebook where I keep the answer keys.

Here is an example of a grade 8 spelling lesson answer key. The answers to the lessons are in bold print. I love how they learn to add suffixes etc. each week.

Since I did not purchase a Natural Speller book for each child. I made copies of the pages the lessons recommend the student to use on the left side of the folder. They typically use the same pages each week, For example how to add suffixes. So its not something I need to do weekly after the year gets started. 

 Here is Angelo working on his spelling.

 Titus displaying his taxonomy skills.  :)

Math U See ~ folders for workbox and weeks schedule

Every Monday we watch our videos for the weeks lessons together. I originally was using report covers but I have found this way to be easier so I wanted to post an update on the change. Since I use workboxes I do not have to write out a schedule every week. To see my work boxes click here 

I simply pull out all the worksheets for the week and test then place them in their Math folder then in the their Math workboxes. The front pocket has the scheduled worksheets in order and the weeks test. That back side of the folder as pictured above has the extra worksheets if they need more work mastering the topic ,we would repeat the video of that lesson the following Monday, then finish the worksheets they needed to finish and add more the the Math U See website until they master the concept. However, most of the time they master the concept in the week . I love Math U See for this reason it continues to build on what they master so Math seems easy and the frustration is at a minimum while they are learning.

 I write the normal weeks Math schedule on the Math folder itself so I no longer  have to do it weekly. This is their routine every week unless the are having trouble tackling a concept. I also place a sticky note on the folder after we watch the video together so they can see the concept all week as  they do their work independently every day for the rest of the week. I check their Math daily which I feel is important to make sure they are mastering what they are learning. I have learned the hard way that you can't depend on them telling you when they are struggling. If they don't realize its wrong and they think its right then they won't come to you and then you loose a week of moving ahead if your realize after they take the weekly test.

 I love the hands on manipulatives used with every lesson !!!

Wisdom Booklet 35 History ~* Corrie Ten Boom Forgiveness

 We are still using our loved Wisdom Booklets for morning family devotions. We just finished the story of Corrie ten Boom and focused on our character trait forgiveness, clearing the record of those who have wronged me and allowing God to love them through me. What an example the Ten Boom family was and heros I want my children to know. I don't know if I could forgive after seeing such terrible things and watching those I love die & suffer.
2 Corinthians 12:9   And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Corrie Ten Boom is truly an example of this verse because its only through God's grace can we truly forgive.
  This certainly has been a challenging Wisdom Booklet for me. This is were righteousness before God is  found in the heart of man.
     Here are some Corrie Ten Boom quotes on forgiveness. They are great for copywork or adding to a Wisdom lapbook,