Homeschool for the Christmas Season!
We are taking some time off of regular school to focus on the really important things!
Important things like God, His gifting Jesus to us, and our family.
I have decided to do about half time school because my kids really love to learn. We are keeping to a more fluid schedule but are moving within the bounds of the regular schedule time for most lessons.
We use the Ambleside Online free curriculum and they actually suggest taking December off to spend it focusing on a closer study of our LORD and Savior.
When we pick up our regular schedule in January we will be right on track. :) It fits well with my need to be on schedule with things. I don't feel quite as guilty not 'keeping up' with school!
We are however using our time wisely and not giving up all we have learned by letting our brains be unstimulated! I refuse to let them lose it all in a month of free for all fun!
The Simple Christmas Schedule!
Copywork:
Blessed Beyond a Doubt has a free Copywork booklet focusing on Luke's account of the Birth of Christ. We are using it for both the boys! Find it here.
Another version of the Luke's account
can be found here from Moms Mustard Seeds all for free!
Language Arts:
Along with our regular Language Arts study we have added some fun activities. We are doing half the scheduled Language Arts per week so we can add some fun stuff without overdoing it.
The Holiday Zone has a whole section of fun ideas to supplement your Classtime.
Boggles World has large section of secular Christmas worksheets. Scroll to the bottom to find the Nativity worksheets. :)
It is a bit of work to scroll through the pages of available worksheets but Busy Teacher has a huge amount of freebies.
Math:
Math Drills has some fun Christmas themed worksheets. I would suggest them mainly for older kids.
We love Kidzone for all kinds of activities. Nice selection up to grade 5.
Once again the wonder woman over at Blessed Beyond a Doubt has all kinds of fun math activities!
Geography:
We are following along with Christmas Around the World over at Living Life Intentionally. She has a free printable e-book and free printable passport to use as resources while you follow links to learn about Christmas around the world. We have made this work by adding in our own atlas for searching out the places we are studying. We have even made a few recipes with some international flair. You can jump in anytime. This link will get you to her page with all downloads and the link up for each country. We are having fun with it! Little prep is needed.
As we read through our Christmas Story we have been charting Mary and Joseph's journey in a notebook as well.
Science:
Here are a bunch of links to different science experiments you can try with a winter theme.
This is another list of experiments you can do with a bunch of ages, even those littles that like to get in on everything. :)
We also like to use our holiday baking as a prime example of using science and math in everyday life! So bake some cookies and find the science fun it it! A quick internet search can explain why butter should be room temperature or how the bread sticks together.
Get creative, mama!
Get creative, mama!
Literature:
My favorite part! We are reading, reading, reading, and reading some more.
Of course we are reading through Luke's account of the Birth of Christ, but we are delving deeper and also looking up some of the prophecies. We will read this through several times in different versions. I also have a children's storybook by Pearl S. Buck called The Story Bible that we will be reading out of as well as many other smaller books. We are also listening to The Christmas Journey by Donna VanLiere on audio book.
We will read all manner of literature so as to appreciate the true beauty of Our LORD's story and to learn what is fiction and discern what is real.
There is much to be learned from The Gift of the Magi and The Christmas Angel.
We will read beautiful poetry from different poets and soak in the season!
Reading is our secret weapon and it entangles every part of learning. I'll try to keep the twaddle to a minimum and focus on the good stuff with some depth and feeling!
History:
Our Bible is our history for the month! What greater history lesson is there then this one? We are focusing on Creation on up to the promise God gives Jacob.
We are going to briefly talk about the Roman influence at the time Jesus was born as well.
We are going to briefly talk about the Roman influence at the time Jesus was born as well.
Fine Arts:
Observe some sesonal Christmas art here.
Listen to some Beautiful Music from this Christmas classics list.There are even a few videos and free downloads on this site!
We will probably watch The Nutcracker as well!
We will probably watch The Nutcracker as well!
This can be such a beautifully cultured teaching season.
Go caroling! Volunteer! Visit the elderly!
Hope you have a simpler homeschool month focusing on our Savior!
Hope you have a simpler homeschool month focusing on our Savior!
Always Blessed,
Gretchen :)
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