Daily Schedule 

In-Class Updates 

Week 1:

This week we started off our Etiquette unit with our first lesson, "Good Manners in School". They each filled out a little worksheet for the first day of school and they will fill out the same worksheet again at the end of the year to see how they have grown and changed! There is a space on the worksheet to include a picture and so I would love it if you could send me a recent photo of them and I will be sure to add it to their individual worksheets. We also discussed some classroom roles that are available for them to each fill, and every month we will put a new set of students in each role. We discussed the importance of school and how we can display good manners in the classroom by reading through and "signing" our classroom contract. I also introduced our memory cards to the students this week. These go along with our "devotional" for each day, where the students will learn a question about God and the answer, and then they will memorize a verse to support the answer to the question. They will then fill out the answer and the verse on a memory card which they will keep and collect throughout our year together. At one point we will put all the cards together and connect them with a ring so that they will have a collection of questions and answers about God, that we should know, and verses to support each one. Our question this week was, "Who is the first and chiefest being?", the answer, "God". The verse we used to support this was Isaiah 44:6. 

Week 2:

This week we begun with our devotional and filled out our memory card accordingly. The question this week was, "What is the chief end of man?", the answer, "To glorify God and enjoy Him forever". The verse we used to support it can be found in 1 Corinthians 10:31. Next we moved onto something called our Character Card, each month we will have one character trait that we will be focusing on and this month is Curiosity. We spoke about what it means to be curious, and that curiosity can lead us down a bad path and so we need to be cautious and instead focus on being curious about learning more about God and His Word. We then began our lesson for the week which is "Good Manners at Home", we specifically focused on three points, (1) Honoring your father and mother, (2) helping out at home, and (3) loving your family. We discussed it as a class and consolidated our opinions into a list to three important items: obedience, telling the truth, and serving. We emphasized the difference between serving and helping. Serving is when you help someone without being asked, you do it out of the kindness of your heart and not necessarily obligation. For our second point on "Helping out at Home" we made habit trackers, if you have any questions about those please feel free to reach out. It is essentially just a way for the students to track their good habits and disciplines and can entail any requirments you see fit. Some students did ask for another printed image, if you just google connect the dot images you will be able to find them if you would like to print more at home! As they do one thing, such as maybe serving someone, then they can complete a line or two on their image. Lastly, we read a poem and story about loving your family from the book, "Everyday Graces: A Book of Good Manners". 

Week 3:

This week we begun with our devotional and filled out our memory card accordingly. The question this week was, "How do we know that there is a God?", the answer, "The works of God (creation) plainly declare so". The verse we used to support it can be found in Romans 1:20 (the students only learned the first half of the verse as you will be able to see from their memory card). We then began our lesson for the week which is "Good Manners at the Table", we read three poems from the book, "Everyday Graces: A Book of Good Manners". Each poem spoke of something different with regards to table manners such as, how to hold your knife and fork, how to not indulge in the food you are given, and how to set up a table. We then watched a video on good manners before moving on to our "table set-up" worksheets. We then learnt how to set up a table and each student filled out their own table settings so that they have them for reference. The students were then given the opportunity to color in their set-up while we listened to the story, "The Berenstain Bears Forget Their Manners". Lastly, we finished with a story from Alice in Wonderland about using the right words at the table, and the students took this time to snack on some goodies that Max so kindly brought for the class.

Week 4:

This week we begun with our devotional and filled out our memory card accordingly. The question this week was, "What is the Word of God?", the answer, "The Scriptures of the Old and New Testament that was divinely inspired by God". The verse we used to support it can be found in 2 Timothy 3:16. We then began our lesson for the week which is "Good Manners with the Mouth", we discussed the three main points: (1) saying please and thank you, (2) taming our tongue, and (3) telling the truth. The students had the opportunity to listen and watch a read-aloud of the story, "The Berenstain Bears Tell the Truth". We then read a series of literature pieces (stories and poems) from the book "Everyday Graces: A Book of Good Manners" to go along with each of our points. After learning about how we are to use our words and how we are to speak, we learned how we are to act according to God's standards. We went through the Beatitudes found in Matthew 5 and completed an activity that went along with the verses. The students keep any work we do in class in their binders, so if you would like to see their "Bee-atitude" activity and maybe even put it up somewhere as a reminder, it should be in their binders!

Week 5:

This week we begun with our devotional and filled out our memory card accordingly. The question this week was, "What does the Word of God principally teach?", the answer, "Everything we ought to know and believe about God". The verse we used to support it can be found in John 20:31. As I mentioned the second week, each new month we will have a new Character Card which is to encourage the students to focus on a specific character trait for the next few weeks. We started with curiosity and we now moved on to kindness this month. We then began our new unit on gardening! To begin, I asked the students to explain to me what they already knew about gardening. We then listened to "The Upside Down Gardener" as our introductory literature for the lesson. Next, we did a fun little activity that was like a "garden scavenger hunt". I hid pictures of items, creatures, and plants related to gardening all over the classroom and the students had to find as many as possible. At the end, once all images were gathered, the students had to present two of their images and explain how they were related to gardening. We then took our class outside for a little, to look for things related to gardening on our very own campus. Laslty, we ended our class with drawing and labelling the anatomy of a flower while listening to, "My Busy Green Garden". 

Week 6:

This week we kept it nice and simple. We started off our class by reviewing the memory cards we have done so far. We then moved on to discussing what a pollinator does and learning about the different animals that are considered pollinators, specifically the bird! We then transitioned into the making of our bird feeders! It was great fun watching the students get creative with their own unique bird feeders. 

Week 7:

This week we started out with our devotional and the students filled out their respective memory card for it. This week our question was "What is God?", to which we gave the answer, "God is Spirit, He is infinite, eternal, and unchanging". We used John 4:24 as our supporting verse. Please take a look at your students memory cards (you should find them in their binder) and see if you can review or practice them at home, even if it is for just 5-10 minutes a week. These memory cards serve the purpose of teaching your child simple truths about our great God that can easily be found in Scripture! After this, we moved on to continuing our learning from last about pollinators. The students read through a text and then answered some questions accordingly about pollinators. They then filled out the order of the steps in the process of pollination. After this, we transitioned into learning about the life cycle of a flower and the students were able to cut, glue, and color a fun foldable to go along with it! Lastly, the students each had the opportunity to "plant" a little marigold seed in some soil that they were able to take home in hopes to grow it into a full marigold flower!

Week 8:

This week we started out with our devotional and the students filled out their respective memory card for it. This week our question was "Are there more gods than one?", to which we gave the answer, "No, there is only one true and living God". We used Deuteronomy 6:4 as our supporting verse. Please take a look at your students memory cards (you should find them in their binder) and see if you can review or practice them at home, even if it is for just 5-10 minutes a week. These memory cards serve the purpose of teaching your child simple truths about our great God that can easily be found in Scripture! After this, we moved on to continuing our learning on gardening and this week we focused specifically on herbs and spices. We discussed the difference between the two, that herbs are the fresh part of the plant, while spices are typically the dried up root of a plant. The students then created a gardening or planting calendar that's purpose is to help them know what to plant and when to plant it according to the seasons! We then finished off with their very own "Herbs & Spices" booklet. It is filled with some different information, activities and learning opportunities and is for the students to fill out at their own pace as they learn and discover more about herbs and spices at home. 

Week 9:

This week we started out with our devotional and the students filled out their respective memory card for it. This week our question was "How many persons are there in the godhead?", to which we gave the answer, "3 persons who are 1 in essence". We used Matthew 28:19 as our supporting verse. As I mentioned the second week, each new month we will have a new Character Card which is to encourage the students to focus on a specific character trait for the next few weeks. We started with curiosity, then kindness, and now this month it will be truthfulness. We then headed outside so that the students could "plant" and start their very own herb garden to take home with them with the hopes of sprouting the seeds planted! We labelled the different herbs they planted so you are able to look up instructions as to how to take care of them for the best results. We then began our new unit on Literature, focusing on poetry specifically this week! We discussed what poetry is and then looked at the five books in the Bible that are considered poetical books. Next, the students had the opportunity to write their own poem about a few of their favorite things. All of the work we do in class can be found in their binders that they take home with them in order to practice their memory cards. 

Week 10:

This week we started out with our devotional and the students filled out their respective memory card for it. This week our question was "What are the decrees of God?", to which we gave the answer, "His eternal purpose and will, that He has foreordained whatever comes to pass". We used Ephesians 1:11 as our supporting verse. Next, we finished off our focus on poetry and prose by looking at two poems focused around being a believer, "A Ballast for my Soul" and "Beautiful Savior". The students were then given some time to practice and rehearse one of the poems which they then performed/presented to the class! We then moved on to our hymn studies! We listened to and read the lyrics of two hymns, "In Christ Alone" and "All Creatures of our God and King". We then chose one of those hymns, In Christ Alone, to do a hymn study on. We filled out a worksheet about the history of the hymn (who wrote it and when was it written), then we looked at the Scripture that can be found in the hymn (we want to ensure the songs we are singing are glorifying to God), and then the students chose a few vocabulary words they didn't understand in the hymn and we discussed what they meant, and lastly they were able to write out their favorite line from the hymn. We finished off our class with some reading from the Little House on the Prairie. 

Week 11:

No class - Thanksgiving Potluck.

Week 12:

This week we continued our Literature unit, but first we started with a little review of our memory cards! Then I introduced the Jesse Tree Advent Calendar to students. It is an advent calendar that goes over the heritage of Christ leading up the His birth, which we celebrate as Christmas! There are 25 days and with each day there is a representative symbol, the students will receive 25 "ornaments" with each of these symbols by the time we go on Christmas break so that they may have the opportunity to hang them up at home. I pray this activity would be a reminder to the students and your families of the reason for the season. We then read a little further in our Little House on the Prairie book. Following this, we read a theology related book that goes over the attributes of the Holy Spirit. We will do God next week, and Jesus the week we finish for Christmas break! Lastly, we wrapped up the class by going over the first 8 days of the Jesse Tree Advent Calendar together.

Week 13:

This week we continued our Literature unit, but first we started with a little review of our memory cards! We then prepared the first eight ornaments for the Jesse Tree Advent while reviewing the corresponding eight days we went over last week. We then read a little further in our Little House on the Prairie book. Following this, we read a theology related book that goes over the attributes of God. Next week we will go over the attributes of Jesus, just in time for Christmas break! Lastly, we wrapped up the class by going over days 9-17 of the Jesse Tree Advent Calendar together and the students received the corresponding ornaments. Next week we will finish off the Jesse Tree Advent and the students will receive their remaining ornaments.

Week 15:

We are slowly but surely bringing our Literature unit to an end! This week we began with going over our memory cards to refresh our minds after a long Christmas Break. Students had the opportunity to work with a friend to test and teach other the questions and answers we have learnt so far about our Great God. We then read another chapter in our class book, The Little House on the Prairie. Then we had some fun by working on our parts of speech in completing some mad libs for some great laughs. Next week we will bring our Literature unit to a close and prepare for our next exciting unit on Cooking. I can't wait!

Week 16:

This week we brought our Literature Unit to a close! We begun with two new memory cards, please try make sure your student is reviewing these at least once a week at home (even just ten minutes is okay, these are a great way for them to learn Scriptural truths). The first card they received asked the question, "How did God create man?", to which we gave the answer, "God created us in His image, male and female" with Genesis 1:27 being our supporting verse. We also asked the question, "Did our first parents continue in the state they were created in?" to which we answered, "No, they disobeyed God and sinned against Him" and we supported this with Romans 5:12. We then moved on to reading another chapter of our Little House on the Prairie book. Next, students had the opportunity to work together or alone to create a story that would help them remember the books of the New Testament! Lastly, we finished our class with making chef hats in preparation for our Cooking Unit that starts next week.

Week 17-19:

We have been working on our cooking unit these three weeks! Each week the students learn a new recipe which they are then able to add to their very own cookbooks. Due to our lack of cooking resources in the classroom environment we have just been practicing the preparation of these recipes in class and learning lots of tips and tricks for cooking too. Each week we do an activity to go along with the recipe we are learning and it has been great fun.

Week 20:

This week we begun with a new memory card, which the students filled out and added to their collection. These are great for the students to practice at home, even if it is just once a week for a few minutes in the day! We then added conversions, and our last two recipes to our cookbooks. Students then had the opportunity to review all that we have learned so far in our cooking unit by playing a game of jeopardy. Lastly, we finished off our class with decorating some valentine's cookies and the students had the opportunity to hand out any valentine's they had for the class.

Week 21-24:

These four weeks we worked on our Financial/Money-Handling unit. We played an educational and interactive game we called "The Market". Essentially the students were split into teams and each team was assigned a small business, such as a Lemonade Stand, a Baked Goods Stand, and a Vegetable Stand. Each group started off with the same amount of money and as they went through the game their objective was to learn how to properly use their money in order to run a good business. They had opportunities to "build" their store by buying goods from my market, and then they had the opportunity to buy/trade between each others markets. They had unique opportunities to "campaign" for certain goods or services to be added to my market for them to purchase such as a cleaning service, or tables and chairs for their business. They had to ensure they had enough money to pay for any "disasters" that would happen sporadically and eventually "bills" at the end of the day. The game came to a culmination at the end where they had to split their remaining money into three categories: Spendings, Savings, and Stocks. We took a look at the total amount of money each group had, and how they split it into the three categories, as well as how many goods they had and what their "store" looked like by the end of the game. Once we took all of those into consideration we took a vote on which team we believe performed the best or "won" the game. Our last class in this unit I gave the students the opportunity to bring in any money-related board/card games and we ended on a fun note before heading into a unit heavy on skill-learning!

Week 25:

This week we begun with adding two new memory cards to our collection, as well as some time to practice our cards because we didn't add any new ones in during our last unit. We then introduced our First Aid unit that we are beginning. We discussed as a class what some of us know about first aid and what we think we will learn. We then begun creating/making our own first aid kit template. We will finish this next week and move into our hands on skills!

Week 26-28:

These few weeks we have been learning all about First Aid! We have discussed what it is, when we use it, what it includes and more. The kids have created First Aid Kit templates, First Aid informational booklets, they have practiced deciphering how to prevent and treat different injuries and illnesses and they have learnt the basics of how to assess an emergency situation and perform CPR!