Ending Well

--This series of posts, highlights our Home School Journey throughout the 2012-13 school year.

Part of me is upset at myself for not keeping up with this blog throughout April & May, but the other part of me is just simply grateful that we made it through our school year and finished well!
As we studied Australia, we didn't take any field trips or do much enrichment, however, Adelyn chose Africa as our final continent to conclude our year long World Geography tour and she completed her 6th grade Country Report, 21 pages long, based on Kenya!

I allowed her to use the Abeka Nation Notebook for tear-out pages; she read Quest For The Lost Prince (Trailblazer Christian book) for African reading.


Our last day of school was May 31st and it feels really good to now look back on FULL, THICK binders with all the work (notebooking pages, recipes, photos, reports, field trip brochures, etc) that the kids accomplished this year using My Fathers World.

For anyone considering using My Fathers World Exploring Countries & Cultures (gr 2-8), I just wanted to share what worked FOR US and what didn't, now that I can reflect on our year:

What Worked: MFW Units/Overall Concept
What Didn't: MFW Teachers Guide

I loved how the countries could be divided into 2wk-4wk units where the kids were immersed in learning about the food, clothing, history, language, government, travel, art, music, etc. The kids and I both feel  like we "know" these countries better now. Not only where the countries are located, but what they're about.
I did NOT however, feel like the Teachers Guide was really useful after you get going. Once you see how the year is set up, and how to plan out learning for each country, I didn't needed to refer back to the guide. But that is probably because I customized to find my own books, projects, crafts, recipes, by using local resources, apps and internet sites. If you don't want to find your own resources, you can refer to the guide. 

What Worked: Notebooking
What Didn't: Coloring Sheets for my boy

MFW provides multiple coloring sheets for each country, found in the student lesson sheet packs.
Adelyn didn't mind coloring them, Judah was totally uninterested. Perhaps it's his personality. We all liked using NotebookingPages.com sheets that I purchased to supplement; they come with maps, templates, and sheets that can be used for writing/drawing. 

For as much FUN as we had this year (in spite of personal sickness and many, major changes for our family) I know God used MFW this year and for that I am thankful.

March 2013

So I must admit that I did NOT do very well, taking pictures to document our MFW March studies....
Over the past weeks we have covered China and the kids completed written essay's on Pandas as well as studied Karate! (this was not in the lesson plans haha, but this is what they chose when I let them have free choice!!)

We did finally make it Whale Watching! We did NOT get to see any whales, but there were lots and lots of dolphins, seals and sea lions to observe on our chilly boat ride.

The weather has been warming up a bit and we have been doing more Nature Study activities.....
Pictured are photos from our field trip to the UCR Botanical Gardens and our Easter Theme Nature Walk taken from http://shiningdawnbooks.com/available-units/nature-study-through-the-holidays-easter-mini-unit/

We've enjoyed our weeks of Spring Break and will be heading into a study of Australia for the month of April!

MFW: Dec/Jan/Feb

Besides welcoming a new baby boy into the family, here's what we've been busy doing in homeschool life over the past winter months.....

In December, we created a whole new homeschool/craft space in our new front room.

We got the black shelving and table set from IKEA, to keep things organized, visible and easily within reach!

For MFW (My Fathers World) Antarctica - the kids studied about the animal life in the arctic habitat. Our Whale Watching field trip had to be postponed due to bad weather, but we're scheduled to go in March :)

MFW Asia Part I: Saudi Arabia and India

The kids made Camel Lapbooks and Addy hosted an Arabian Tea Party with friends.
Next we'll be onto China, Japan and the other Asian countries.....

Catch Up

MFW Weeks #12-16 have slipped away from me. It's been a whirl-wind with the Presidential Election, Baby Showers, Thanksgiving, and our family move to a new home....
Now to catch up on what we've been doing! :)

Election Study & Lapbooks

MFW Europe Studies: we took a trip to LifeHouse Theater to see the musical performance of Peter Pan (based in London England of course)
 

During our MFW France studies, the kids made Eiffel Tower Cookie Creations;
we visited the Toms Farms Cheese Shoppe to sample French Cheese and picnic at the lake....

 

We covered MFW Norway & Holland, throwing in some Thanksgiving projects for fun.
Pictured below, the kids and their Thankful Signs...

We also made our traditional November pit stop (taking a break from the regular routine of things)
and did a Poetry Unit Study for two weeks! 

And for MFW Christmas Around The World, we read the book "Boxes for Katje"
and went shopping to fill shoebox gifts for Operation Christmas Child! 

Throughout the month of December, we are continuing on with Christmas literature studies, holiday projects and festivities!! Until next year....

MFW: Week 7-8 and 9-10

MFW Weeks #7 & 8 we studied CANADA!
For Fellowship Days, the kids learned about the natives and their totem poles for idol worship; they made their own "praise poles" with symbols which represent Christ Jesus. In reference to the arctic habitat, the crafts were soap carving and sugar cube igloo's! Addy's crumbled, thus the sad face :(

 

MFW Weeks #9-11 are focused on SOUTH AMERICA!
This has turned out to be a really fun continent, with specific focus on the Rain Forest.
Last week for Fellowship Day, we took the kids to the Rain Forest Cafe at OntarioMills Mall and printed out a Rainforest Scavenger Hunt to do inside the restaurant, from the National Geographic Kids Website.

Also in OntarioMills Mall, is the International Currency Exchange Station! The staff member was very kind to answer questions and allow the kids to hold money from South America and various countries all over the world.

This week, aside from cooking class and art class, we took a
field trip to the Star EcoStation for up close encounters
 with Rain Forest animals! (photos found here:  http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.4695122018272.2189939.1300713187&type=1&l=b33b4aaaa9) 

We have been reading a Rainforest Devotional (above) from Vision Forum, which is excellent!!

Our lapbook report this week is taken from HomeSchoolShare.com ~ The Great Kapok Tree.
We downloaded alot of new educational apps too! (I think we're getting better and better at this unit study thing) All free for iPad: Butterfly Farm, PocketPond & Pocket Frogs, NatureTap, and Trees Pro HD.

Until next time....

MFW Weeks 4-6

Week #4 marked the beginning of "North America" studies in My FathersWorld.
First up was USA; for our MFW Fellowship/Enrichment Day we took the kids free bowling (fav american past time) and the girls practiced sewing skills by making red-white-& blue skirts for their American Girl Dolls. 

Weeks #5 & #6 were centered on MEXICO & GUATEMALA.
We went on a field trip to Mi Tortilla Mexican Grill....

 

 

Here's some samples from Addy's MFW Notebooking and her creation from
Cooking Class with Ms Alma, making Mexican Sopapilla Cheesecake :)

Below is Addy and her Guatemala Lapbook Project, the library books we used and the game her and Judah played to practice Spanish words!

Next week, we're on to Canada :)

MFW Weeks 2-3

We are having a great time in our homeschooling with My Fathers World!
Once a week, we get together with friends who are also using the same MFW curriculum.
Pictured below are the bakers at work; the girls made their own cakes from scratch and decorated them like world maps, showing the 7 continents...

They also made Paper Mache Globes and the boys had fun painting international car crafts :)

Another day, we took the girls for a field trip to the Trinity Broadcasting Network International Studio Headquarters in Costa Mesa, CA.....Pictured below is the Prayer Room, showing millions of requests which come in from all over the world. We also visited the television recording studio, the reality theater, gift shop, bible antiquities collection and the beautiful outdoor gardens and fountains.



Today we begin week 4 of our studies, and we are centered on the USA/North America.
We went digging in the shed, and found my old Geosafari Learning Systems! I can't believe my parents SAVED everything from our homeschooling days.

Here is all of the learning sets laid out....

Here is Judah learning his US states and capitals with Geosafari!

Here is Adelyn learning to locate the areas for endangered animals.