WEC week 2 fall 2014

Using Reference Charts for Dictation or Narration ~McGuffey Readers as an Example

  We completed our dictation at the end of our week's lesson. After they are done with the dictation I check it with the student and go over the mistakes comparing it to the original. I posted yesterday examples of the reference charts and where to purchase.
   Punctuation & Capitalization ~* One of the things Job missed was his punctuation. Placing commas in a series of words. So I pulled out the Language Arts reference chart for 3-4 graders since he is in 4rth grade and we go over the punctuation rule. I then write on a post it note the spelling words and punctuation rules for next week for him to master. We will continue until he masters these topics. My Jr. High / Highschool students cover these rules daily using Easy Grammar.
      Choosing what to work on for the next week ~* I only choose 5-10 spelling words a week and choose the most important words for them to learn. If they have multiple punctuation or capitalization errors I only choose one to focus on. We will have plenty of time to cover the other rules. My goal its master one at a time. My kids do better learning through mastery.

 Here is an example of Angelo using the 5/6 grade Language Arts reference Chart. He did not capitalize words in his title. So that is what I will look for each week in his dictation until he masters that rule. He did remember the rule we learned at the beginning of the week using a comma  following a name.

Spelling ~* I list all we need to work on the post it note for next weeks lesson. After I choose the spelling words I look to see what spelling rules they need to work on. I grab my spelling reference chart and mark the rules we are going to work on all next week.
Here is a picture of my post it note. I have them look at the spelling word daily, close their eyes to see the word , then orally spell the word. We do this each day along with discussing the spelling rule. One day a week they may write the words 3 times or so for extra practice.

I own Christ Centered Phonics cards that have spelling rules on the back of the card. click here to if interested in the Christ Centered Phonics cards.I use these for Nehemiah since he is in 2nd grade for his spelling or if I notice he needs to tackle a phonogram in his reading.

Phonics/Reading ~* The Logic of English phonogram chart is great to use if they are reading out loud and you notice they are struggling with a certain phonogram. I mark it down and note it on the post it note.

Here is an example of the spelling rule under phonics application. You can use whatever tools you have with your child's dictation lessons.

Parts of Speech ~* We use Easy Grammar lessons to teach the parts of speech so I don't cover that with the McGuffey readers. It is taught separately.

   Since I posted the reference charts I use yesterday I thought I would share how I use them.
  You don't have to use them for just McGuffey readers but any type of dictation or narration work you are doing. I plan on posting how you can use this for your narration work in the history notebooking.

Homeschool Helps~ Reference Charts

I love reference charts!!! Instead of grabbing a text book for a quick reference I have these handy charts to use when needed.I can use them when we do our McGruffey Readers,  history / Science notebooking, math, writing, spelling, reading, etc. So I wanted to share these helpful charts with you and give links to were they can be purchased.

Here are examples of the grammar charts. They  are well organized which I love to make it easy to use.

I purchased these laminated charts from Christian Light Publications at 

click here for CLE Language Arts and Math charts

I also like the Logic of English chart for spelling rules & phonograms. You can purchase this chart from CBD.

Click here for Logic off English spelling & phonogram chart

 These handy Math Reference Charts can also be purchased from Christian Light Publications click on the link above.

I received this for free from a homeschooling Facebook party :) I have been wanting this chart for writing so I was so happy to get it for free. It is great for taking you step by step in the writing process. It also gives you dress up tools to change the writing assignment from ordinary to extraordinary! You can purchase these at Institute for Excellence in Writing.

 Click here for IEW portable wall writing chart

Doing school outside while studying Apologia Botany & Mystery of History!

I love fall weather! One of the things I enjoy is doing school outside. We finish our language arts & math inside and after lunch we go outside to do Science & History. My daughter who is reading the current read out loud also enjoys reading outside under a tree. That is another bonus of the work boxes. We can pull our workbox drawers out and take them outside with us.

 My chicken Christy doing a photo bomb  :) A little excitement in school today when a hawk came down to try to take one of our chickens :/

Since we live in the north we are following the recommended northern schedule.So we went from lesson 2 seeds to lesson 6 leaves so we can studying them before the fall next month.

There is nothing better than to be surrounded by God's creation that we are studying compared to being inside working at a desk! As we were learning the benefits plants give us we were able to be grateful  that we are surrounded by His creation. After our lesson we also discussed how people are beginning to use artificial lawns or painting their lawns so it looks nice. What a sad thing to do to God's creation that was created to benefit us. We were thankful that He has blessed us with a yard full of trees and plants.
 I love to be in God's creation ! If you get a chance to go outside for  your classroom go for it. There is nothing like being surrounded by what you are studying while breathing in that fresh filtered and oxygen rich air from the plants He created!

Cleaning our Chicken Coop ~* Eglu Cube by Omlet

 It was beautiful outside today!! So I wanted to do a outside project. So I decided to do a quick cleaning of our Chicken Coop. My husband bought me this for my birthday, Anniversary, & mothers day all in one since it was not a cheap gift . I really wanted chickens for fresh eggs to feed our growing family. It has been a few years since we have had chickens. I did not want to go back to a wooden coop since they are so hard to clean. So he bought me a Eglu Cube which are made in England.
      Its Nehemiah chore to feed the and water the chickens. We have Plymoth Barred Rocks. They are my favorite I think they are beautiful.

 Everything comes out & opens up to clean. There are drainage vents. I just did a quick hose down since it was going to get cold tonight I wanted to make sure it could dry in the sun by night fall. Before winter I might power wash it or scrub it down good but for now I just wanted to spray it clean. It drys pretty fast.

 Here is what it looks like without the trays before I sprayed it clean.

 The Glug is the water dish. It comes with both a water dish and a food dish,

 The inside you can see the air vents & perches.The roof comes off and the back for easy cleaning.

 The poop trays pull out so you can easily clean it weekly and save the droppings for fertilizer.

 It also has an out door run. We move it as an easy way to clean the outside pen.It works great no matter where we put it in the yard they know that is where to roost at night.

The girls looking in at their new clean chicken coop. I love the green as it blends in to the yard. I originally was going to purchase pink or red but decided to go with something that will camouflage in the yard. They come in fun colors.

 That was my project for the day. It was a beautiful day and I was glad to be outside!!! I am loving these cooler fall days.
I purchased my Omlet from  www.omlet.us