This past week I began "purposed learning" with Adeline. You know how the word "school" or "schoolwork" can have a negative connotation to it? For this reason I don't say, "Let's do schoolwork" just yet with Adeline. Instead I say, "Let's do an activity together." Last May I went to my first homeschool bookfair and bought "Little Hands to Heaven" published by The Heart of Dakota and "Phonics Road to Spelling and Reading" published by Schola Publications.
If you are looking for a book full of purposeful educational activities that incorporates Biblical themes for your preschooler, I would definately recommend Little Hands to Heaven. There are about 5 activities each day that focus on a Biblical theme. The lessons start with Fingerplay to introduce/review a letter of the alphabet. Fingerplays are poems that you can put a tune to if your kids, like mine, are stimulated by music. I love starting the lessons to music because then the kids are excited and eager to do the next activity. Each week focuses on a different letter of the alphabet and there are different games to play to learn the letter (using blocks, glue & beans, cheerios, etc to make the formation). HofD is not phonics based. For instance, HofD only focuses on the "a" sound in Adam instead of the 3 sounds of A. The other components of the Little Hands to Heaven include art, active exploration, math, Bible devotions, songs, and dramatic play. What's key for us is that each component reinforces a Biblical theme. It is important for us that our children to learn that God is sovereign over all things and LHtoH helps us teach this. My most favorite part of the curriculum is that it incorporates Focus on the Family's "The Singing Bible." For each lesson there is a song to listen to from the CD. I highly recommend using this CD to enhance the curriculum. We have yet to sit down and do all 5 activities back-to-back. I throw them in here and there between household responsibilities throughout the day.
If you are looking for a book full of purposeful educational activities that incorporates Biblical themes for your preschooler, I would definately recommend Little Hands to Heaven. There are about 5 activities each day that focus on a Biblical theme. The lessons start with Fingerplay to introduce/review a letter of the alphabet. Fingerplays are poems that you can put a tune to if your kids, like mine, are stimulated by music. I love starting the lessons to music because then the kids are excited and eager to do the next activity. Each week focuses on a different letter of the alphabet and there are different games to play to learn the letter (using blocks, glue & beans, cheerios, etc to make the formation). HofD is not phonics based. For instance, HofD only focuses on the "a" sound in Adam instead of the 3 sounds of A. The other components of the Little Hands to Heaven include art, active exploration, math, Bible devotions, songs, and dramatic play. What's key for us is that each component reinforces a Biblical theme. It is important for us that our children to learn that God is sovereign over all things and LHtoH helps us teach this. My most favorite part of the curriculum is that it incorporates Focus on the Family's "The Singing Bible." For each lesson there is a song to listen to from the CD. I highly recommend using this CD to enhance the curriculum. We have yet to sit down and do all 5 activities back-to-back. I throw them in here and there between household responsibilities throughout the day.
Art - writing on white paper with white crayon and then using watered-down black paint to see what you drew
Active Exploration - matching colors to things in your garden/home
Darton enjoys the activities too. 
Adeline's depiction of the stars and moon
I will begin the phonics program this week. I've chosen to begin phonics with Adeline now because of the letter awareness she is receiving in her Spanish preschool. I chose the Phonics Road to Spelling and Reading for three reasons.1. all the lessons are taught to me on DVD. This makes teaching phonics less intimidating for me.
2. eventually incorporates Latin into the English lessons, instead of making Latin a separate subject. Why Latin? 60% of our language is Latin influenced and it will only help my kids as they grow their vocabulary over the years (e.g. decoding words) and maybe in their chosen profession 3. incorporates music
3. emphasizes critical thinking
PRtoSandR teaches letter formation using a clock diagram. This week Adeline will learn the 6 basic formations that make up different letters (circle, straight line (tall & short), diagonal line, horizontal line, a line that goes below the base line). We will then work on the letter sounds and formations a, c, d, f. These four letters begin at 2 on the clock when writing them. We bought her a small table and chair and Darton is quite sure it is HIS chair.
No comments:
Post a Comment