WHOTDILCH 31 DECEMBER

What Happened on this day in LDS Church History? On this Day in LDS Church History, in 1833, Wilford Woodruff and his brother, Azmon, were baptized in Richland, New York. 

Links to Further Study
https://www.lds.org/liahona/1993/04/wilford-woodruff-man-of-faith-and-zeal?lang=eng 

https://www.lds.org/friend/1997/11/wilford-woodruff-a-future-prophet-is-baptized?lang=eng

WHOTDILCH 30 DECEMBER

What Happened on this day in LDS Church History? On this Day in LDS Church History in 1973, in Salt Lake City, Utah, Spencer W. Kimball is ordained and set apart as twelfth Prophet and President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, along with his counselors N. Eldon Tanner and Marion G. Romney.

Links to Further Study
https://www.lds.org/manual/teachings-spencer-w-kimball/the-life-and-ministry-of-spencer-w-kimball?lang=eng 

https://www.lds.org/ensign/1983/01/first-presidency-reorganized?lang=eng

WHOTDILCH 29 DECEMBER

What Happened on this day in LDS Church History? On this Day in LDS Church History in 2000, the 100th translation of the Book of Mormon became available.

Links to Further Study
https://www.lds.org/ensign/2001/03/news-of-the-church?lang=eng

WHOTDILCH 28 DECEMBER

What Happened on this day in LDS Church History? On this Day in LDS Church History in 1973, the funeral for President Harold B. Lee, is held in Salt Lake City.

Links to Further Study
https://www.lds.org/ensign/1974/02/harold-bingham-lee-humility-benevolence-loyalty?lang=eng

https://www.lds.org/ensign/1974/02/in-the-shadow-of-the-almighty?lang=eng 

Homeschooling Christmas

Homeschool Question: "I've been toying with the idea of taking December 'off'. Does anyone else do this? I want to have FUN! I want to bake, sew, serve...do all the things we never seem to have time for. I'm scared to let go! Maybe we'll at least do math everyday. Anyone else here take December off?

Do The Children's Hour and since that is an hour, it is a thread that can run through the year as a spiritual- intellectual devotional! It is scripture, classic, and focused learning. This is just one hour!  Then you can do all you want to do, and it can be school too! 


In November and December, do Thanksgiving and Christmas as part of school, building homemaking skills, enjoying the cultural arts, and serving. The great thing about homeschool is we get to include anything we feel is worth while learning and experiencing. We are not limited by what schools do.

When I was a child in the early years of elementary, we did not do pre-school. Kindergarten was non- academic. Christmas programs were religious. I remember doing a nativity play about the Three Christmas Trees when I was in 3rd Grade. We sang Christmas carols, not just holiday songs in our school choir. It was all part of school. When we studied other countries we even made their food in our classrooms. It was all part of the academics!

When you boil down the 3 Rs whether you do: "Reading, 'Riting, and 'Rithmetic," "Reading, Reasoning, and Reciting," or "Research, Reason, Relate, and Record," approach to homeschool,  it is not difficult to substitute the Christmas theme and all of its cultural arts, along with reading Christmas stories, writing a Christmas Journal, and even doing Christmas math, in lieu of what you normally do. 

But "you had better watch out!" Wink  You might find yourself creating something thematic each month to take advantage of a New year, President's Day, Spring, Easter, and your children will end up getting a whole education!

There are many subjects to study in Christmas:
Scripture Study  Old Testament and Book of Mormon prophecy, New Testament and Book of Mormon passages about the nativity.

Art Appreciation  classic nativity paintings and Christmas themes.

Music Appreciation  classic Christmas carols, some are centuries old.

Literature classic Christmas stories and excerpted Christmas passages from classics.

Poetry Christmas Poetry.

Penmanship lists, Christmas tags, thank you notes, signing Christmas letters/cards, and even keeping their own special Christmas Journal.

Social Studies (Geography, Culture & History)- study Christmas traditions around the world.

Science study of snow, keeping a weather log, and winter nature walks and collecting (tree studies, winter birds, pine cones, and seed pods).

Math counting (links in a chain, counting cookies), fractions (measurements for cooking) , decimals (giving change), telling time (time management), mensuration (measuring fabric, weighing packages), creating a Christmas budget,  shopping for needed materials (handling money and giving change), and learning to read thermometers (candy thermometers, meat thermometers, and weather thermometers).

Home Economics and Shop holiday baking, crafting, sewing, making decorations and gifts.

Performing Arts  Caroling to shut-ins. Acting out the Nativity. Attend Christmas Concerts and Christmas productions.

All of this can be done very matter-of-fact, very playfully, having fun, and what is also important, they are learning, moving forward, and do not even realize it is school... All the while mom can keep Victory Journal of all the school she did with the children. And all the while they think they have a month off!  

Homeschooling Christmas

Homeschool Question: "I've been toying with the idea of taking December 'off'. Does anyone else do this? I want to have FUN! I want to bake, sew, serve...do all the things we never seem to have time for. I'm scared to let go! Maybe we'll at least do math everyday. Anyone else here take December off?

Moving Forward with the Bicycle Approach to Homeschooling

Are you struggling to train children to work, keep a home, teach several children of different stages of development, nurture younger children and keep your sanity?

Don't give up!  Keep pedaling and you will keep moving forward!

Many new to homeschool look for a curriculum as a vehicle to move their children towards being educated. Perhaps the vehicle they need is not just a curriculum, but taking other things into account that impact children's character, work ethic, brain development, core body balance, executive function, socialization and more.

Gentility: A Course in Refinement

Gentility

A Course in Refinement

For 10-16 year old girls.

Class size is limited to six girls.

~

Gentility Introductory Course begins 18 July 2012.

Summer classes will meet five Wednesday mornings from 10:00 am to 11:00 am.

Fall classes TBA

Class meet in my home in Orem, Utah.

Each class covers:

A Character Strength- A collection of quotes emphasizing the particular character strength for that lesson. Quotes to read, ponder and discuss
A Gentility Activity- Lessons on cooking, cleaning, economics, work ethic, sewing, gardening, home repair and etc.
Music or Art- Learning about composers or artists, their life, the era they belong to and study one of their works and learning to lead music.

Gentility Course is $50.00 for five weeks-10% Discount if paid before classes begin.

There is no obligation to continue after the Introductory Course.

Below is a link to a file listing areas covered.

7 Steps to Creating Your Own Nature Journal

 
How do you keep a Nature Journal? 

Discover God's First Classic through Nature Journaling

This earth was created by God and all things denote there is a God. This is God's first classic and through its workings we can see God's hand and learn eternal laws. The door to our Father's study can always opened by us. It is easy to introduce and integrate science, art, and literature into your homeschool curriculum through nature journaling.

Nature Studies and Nature Journaling: A Parent Child Journey

Do you find the idea of studying science intimidating? Did you have a distasteful experience in school, turning you off to natural science? Homeschooler, have your friends asked the "What about science" question? Most people believe the myth that  science can only be taught and learned in the classroom, with textbooks, using expensive equipment, and taught by an college trained and certified licensed science teacher. Not even close to the truth. Most great scientists and inventors of the past were not textbook trained by certified teachers.  

The pathway to a solid foundation in science is as close as your own front door. Our methods are natural and not difficult to learn or implement:

15 Prompts To Help you with your Journal Writing

Have you ever looked at a blank page and had writer's block? That can happen in journaling too. I have created a book mark with 15 Prompts to help you consider what to write. First, I want to talk about the prompts on the bookmark.

Journal Ideas That are Easy, Creative and Fun!

"Get a notebook, my young folks, a journal that will last through all time, and maybe the angels may quote from it for eternity. Begin today and write in it your goings and comings, your deepest thoughts, your achievements and your failures, your associations and your triumphs, your impressions and your testimonies." (New Era, Oct. 1975, 5). —President Spencer W. Kimball
The Lord has asked us through the prophets to keep a journal. Faith in God, Duty to God, and Personal Progress, all have journaling components. There are online ways to keep a journal.  

However, I do like the book idea better. 





I find journal writing naturally develops the discipline of writing habit and gives daily penmanship.

Creation Zones of Cleaning

This is my deep cleaning creation zone plan! 

Home Making, an Exercise in Creativity

Have you ever considered how home making is creative?

I love Mary Ellen Smoot's talk--"We are Creators." There is "so much scope for the imagination in that concept." This is a seriously profound thought and changes how I look at life and choices.
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2000/04/we-are-creators?lang=eng

The Hebrew word for create, bara, in the Genesis story of the creation, means  to prepare, form, fashion, organize! So, when I plan my life, I am being a creator, tapping into my creative abilities. Those abilities are part of my spiritual DNA. So, yes, when I am organizing, I am being creative and I am making space and time for my creativity, by establishing a default rhythms in my home.

Highlights of the Book of Mormon, (Part 2)

More Highlights of the Book of Mormon

compiled for Moor House

Highlights of the Book of Mormon (Part 1)

Highlights of the Book of Mormon

Compiled by Penny Gardner

Highlights from the New Testament

Highlights from the New Testament

Compiled by Penny Gardner

Highlights of the Old Testament

Highlights of the Old Testament

Compiled by Penny Gardner

Scriptures in a Child's Heart

 Why read the actual scriptures to little children?  I like to teach children scripture stories right out of the scriptures, not paraphrased but in the rich language and imagery of the scriptures. I am somewhat, old school and feel that Primary aged children should have their own copy of scriptures, even before they can read. Yes, even Sunbeams! This used to be mentioned in the Primary manuals! I also feel that they can learn to mark passages for easy locating and memorize verses as young as three. Here you will find lists of many stories found in the scriptures. There are more there, to be sure, but here are enough to use each school day. The Highlights of the Old Testament, Highlights of the New Testament, and Highlights of the Book of Mormon (Part 1) lists were compiled by Penny Garner and is available here, compliments of Penny Gardner. Highlights of the Book of Mormon (Part 2) and Highlights of the Doctrine and Covenants were compiled for Moor House. There are enough stories listed here to have a story each day of the school year!"