Learning and Lesson Plans

This weeks lessons were totally unplanned, they just fell into place and the boys loved them!  I don't have a written lesson plan, we just went where our curiosity took us.  Very, very out of character for me, but the boys had a blast!

Everything started with a very small idea. Writing letters to pen-pals who lived far away.

Stone has really been struggling with his handwriting and storytelling, both skills that I want to hone before we start our kindergarten curriculum in the fall.  I did a little research on cultivating these skills and pen-pals and journaling kept coming up.  I thought it was a great idea and something I wouldn't have ever come up with!  I asked Stone some prompting questions and we worked together to write the letter.  I did all of the actual writing this time (from his dictations), but Stone signed his name and included a picture.

The little boys got in on the act too!  It was fun to see all of them come up with questions for the other kid-os. Holden wanted to know what color his pen-pal's blankie was!

I chose three totally separate pen-pals for the boys, all of them are spread across the US, but are close in age to each of my children.  We looked at a map and the boys really got into where their pen-pal lived and what the weather was like there, compared to what our weather was like.

We talked a lot about maps this week and used the 50 States and Map Reading videos from the Teacher and the Rockbots America DVD to reinforce some of the concepts we were discussing.  The boys LOVED getting their groove on!

I'm constantly amazed at their ability to learn. My goal was not to have them memorize all 50 states, or flawlessly read a map, but we walked away with an amazing beginning understanding that will build a foundation for years to come.  AND they know the Pledge!

I love being able to be the one to open their eyes to the wonders of this world that God created and feel so, so blessed to be the mommy of these three amazing little guys!

For more great ideas on things to do with your kids, I suggest:

- 1+1+1=1

- Raising Memories

- Homeschool Creations

- ABC's and 123's

- Musings of Me

- Confessions of a Homeschooler

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