Can you direct me to Spelling City?

We use Abeka spelling for all. We have I's spelling, but N and A's spelling books are still in the mail. SO, I found a website that has Abeka's spelling words. I have the entire list for 2nd and 8th grade! Spelling City even allows the kids to learn how to spell and can even test them on a certain list!



THANKS SPELLING CITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a Day!

Our days of homeschool are different everyday, but we have a certain schedule we follow...LOOSELY;-)


All of us:
1. Read a passage from the Bible
We have calendar time (What is the date, upcoming activities for the week, etc...)
What is the weather? (Have a K-gartner!)
Recite our address and phone number (stop when they know it)
States and Capitols (do a few each day until they know them all!)
Bible drills (10 commandments, 12 sons of Jacob, 10 plagues, 12 disciples, books of Bible...)






2. Each child (except K-gartner) has 5 folders. I have written what they are to complete each day for each child. They love reading what I have written to them! When they are done with each folder, they put a "check mark" after the assignment and they lay them facedown in their own "cubby". I then review them and stand them up in their favorite cereal box. Their assignments are waiting to be completed for the next day.





3. First they work on spelling
Second, they work in math
Third, writing
EACH CHILD HAS A DIFFERENT ASSIGNMENT IN THESE AREAS.









4. History (ALL)
We read the American Creed
We say the pledge of allegience

We discuss American History (explorations to the New World)
After notes, they copy neatly to pages for NOTEBOOKING. I like doing something concrete so they can go back and see their work.

GEOGRAPHY - we get the map out to show where countries, islands, oceans, seas...are at.



5. Science (ALL)
We learn a bird a week
We study all their characteristics
They draw the bird and then write neatly to pages for NOTEBOOKING.

We are also studying parts of insects and we have catepillars that are about to morph into moth's.

They do all of this before lunch! After lunch they have reading and exercise. Then they have free time for video games or just play.

We also have chore schedules. They do dishes, trash, clean rooms, etc...

I am going to make a schedule for hygenie. I am telling four children all day long "brush teeth, wash hands, take shower/bath, put deoderant on, clip nails, clean ears, etc..." The repeating of this mantra is a little too much!

We also explore in the woods and other things outdoors, but no picture to show.


I linked my post to "Not Back to School Blog Hop". I have met several nice homeschooling families....There are more of us than I realized! Be sure to check HERE to view "A Day in the life..."of many others on the Blog Hop.




Happy Homeschooling!

Swimming Lessons June 14th-25th

We enrolled the kids in swimming lessons. We live right by a pond, so I wanted the kids to know how to swim. John really insisted!




Noah and Isaac graduated and can doggy paddle very well. Next year they are going to learn the back stroke and more.











Abigail and Caleb are still learning so they will remain in the level 1-2 class.



They have the floating move down pat.










THEY HAD A BLAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Church Campout

John was in charge of coordinating a campout for all the kids (ages 4-80 ;-) @ Pleasant View. We all had a great time. The date was July 16th and let me tell you it was a scorcher! We were all very sweaty, so we were all glad there was a lake close by.



Mary and Freck fried fresh fish, John grilled, and all the ladies brought sides and desserts...We had plenty of food.





We had an activity (boys vs. girls, of course) where the kids had to find an item that was mentioned in the bible. They had a really good time playing....It was a close race but the girls won. The boys (Noah and Isaac) opened up and testified, Abigail led the singing (she was very shy, but came into her own after "I'm bound for that city"). Then John preached a message. We had a very good time.




Lastly, the kids went swimming. We had a cabin (thanks to Bro. William and Bro. Marvin) so Abigail, Caleb, and I slept in a very comfortable bed while the guys had to sleep on the ground in tents. Needless to say, John, Noah, and Isaac slept the next day....all day!~

We had such a good time. So glad with what God has blessed us with.

**Homeschool is Cool!**

School started at the Geary's August the 2nd. Pictures were not taken until a week later...we don't dress up for school, so when we go out, that is when the camera starts rolling!



I have done some major planning this year, and the kids love it. We are using a color-coded folder system. The latest homeschool trend is work boxes, so I used the folder system instead.

Each child has five different color folders for each subject. On a piece of paper I write what they must complete for M-F. I have a box at the end of each task that they check off. They love it and the day flies by. It also gives more time to bible reading, music, flash cards, you name it!






We are also notebooking. We write notes, then we have pages printed out for NEAT writing. They are doing well with this too.







Caleb has started Kindergarten. He thought that he had to learn to read the first day of school. He puts his hand to his head, and says, "Lord, give me strength." I then told him that Kindergarten is easy. Well, we went through the days lesson and now he tells everyone that school is so easy ;-P









I linked my post to "Not Back to School Blog Hop". I have met several nice homeschooling families....There are more of us than I realized! Be sure to check HERE to view School Photos of many others on the Blog Hop.



I also linked my post to "Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers" here!

Three educational philosophies

Three educational philosophies by Karen Sargent

We live in a world of three competing educational philosophies: Greek, Roman, and Hebrew. It's vital that you know the difference.

In the Greek model, knowledge was the highest good. Socrates said, "There
is only one good—knowledge, and only one evil—ignorance." One need not look far to see that model in popular homeschool curriculum choices, authors, and convention speakers.

In the Roman model, power and entertainment were the prizes that life had to offer.
For Caesars and citizens alike, to rule the world and then enjoy the spectacle of gladiators and lions in the Coliseum was the highest goal. One need only look at
popular American culture to see that the Roman model is alive and well today.
● ● ●

Never doubt that we are making disciples through the process of education. So are private schools and public schools. The only difference is which master each disciple will serve.

We all serve a master—
and so will our children.
● ● ●


The Hebrew model placed the highest value on the dual objectives expressed by Jesus when asked what was required to have eternal life. “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” and “. . . Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” (Matthew 22: 37, 39b)
In Hebrew thought, having a vital relationship with both God and our fellow man was the highest priority. The Bible goes on to praise knowledge. Proverbs 18:15 exhorts us "The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge." In Colossians 2:2-3 Paul says, "That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Did you follow that? God says if we're wise and discerning we will acquire knowledge; we will seek it out. But He also tells us that the treasures of all wisdom and all knowledge are hidden in Christ. If we're to acquire wisdom and knowledge, Christ must be a part of our homeschool planning process, because all wisdom and all knowledge are hidden in Him. And if our ultimate goal is to produce disciples of Him, we must teach our children to love God and to love their neighbor.

Which philosophy are we to embrace: Greek?
Roman? Hebrew? As Christians, I trust most of us can agree that the Hebrew model ought to be the basis of our educational philosophy. Power and entertainment are passing pleasures of this world which serve no eternal purpose. Knowledge for the sake of knowledge, the Bible says, simply makes us proud and arrogant. In 1 Corinthians 8:1 Paul says, "Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth." Both the Greek and Roman models are hollow.

I am posting after a two-month absence

I am alive. I have been extremely occupied! We have been busy with school and a lot of other things. We went to Kentucky Down Under on Friday. We had a great time. I will post soon about it.

I updated my other blog, A Butterfly in My Stomach!


Have a great day!