Drawing (Especially for you Nonna Beth)

We Started some drawing lessons based on Mona  Brookes  book Drawing with Children in September 2012 I really like her "warm ups" especially the abstract design warm up in which someone calls out shapes and types of line and everyone makes an abstract image using the elements I also like the beginning exercises on p 44. There is a grid with a design to copy and a space below for copying. I made a bunch of my own for my girls. I think these two things gave them a good foundation. Then we moved on to representational drawing.  We drew lions, hippos, horses, flowers, airplanes.

Abstract warm ups

Warm up grid

Other drawings we did step by step

Nature Study

Nature Study Samples
Each week we try to take time to observe something from nature and paint it.
These are our efforts from today.

I'm interested in reading anf trying some of the things from here: http://www.cminthebluegrass.com/nature-study-workshop.html#.VAZs8WOGdrs

First Day Party

word family decorations

First day game

Em suggested we have a first day of school party. We made paper doll chains with word families on them and they decorated them with colored tape as I told them which word to look for.  Later we put them up as decorations and played a board game (pictured below. which required them to do a bit of writing and reading.) We are also working on putting things away after using them.

We are going to be learning more Spanish songs and Rhymes this year.
Here are some resources:
http://www.123teachme.com/learn_spanish/los_elefantes_canciones_infantiles


Calico Spanish/kids immersion

rockalengua

http://www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=537&c=71  This only has midi so you have to figure out how the lyrics fit with the tune.

resources for keeping children engaged during church.

I've been struggling with My eldest (8yrs) during church and thought I'd try to find some things for her to do during church. She likes to read the Bible or biographies of the saints but she gets mad when her reading is interrupted. This is what I found:

The Children's Word Bulletin
North American Saints

listening pages

UPDATE 11/20/14
I printed the things mentioned above and put them in a binder. My daughter likes coloring the icons and maps while listening to the sermons.We also worked out a code which means for her to stop what she is doing and attend. I tap her gently and then I make a sign for her to stand or kneel or hand her a service book and point out where we are. This is working very well lately. We've had much fewer disruptions.

Paul Klee Inspiration

by Jen

by Emily

 We are studying The works of Paul Klee
and were inspired to make these today:

By Claire

Paul Klee Our inspiration

This is the end of the first week of school for us. I discovered something that is making my life a lot easier. The girls love practicing writing their letters and numbers on the magnetic drawing board. I wish I had thought of this when Claire was in kindergarten. Claire has begun to do some writing just because she wants to. The other night before bed she wrote a list of things she wanted to do next day. It included "learning about megatherium and girafids".