Piney Woods Homeschool

This year, the CEO and I decided to change our Advent approach.  We wanted to follow the traditional formula of using Advent to prepare for the coming of the Saviour, not as an infant but as a King.  We wanted to put the focus more on preparing our hearts for Christ when He returns.  We used a couple of resources to help us with this. Celebrating the Church Year With Young Children The Advent Jesse Tree: Devotions for Children and Adults to Prepare for the Coming of the Christ Child at Christmas Based on the recommendations in the Celebrating the Church Year book, but then also trying to follow a more traditional Advent schedule (such as described here ), we created a schedule for the Advent and Christmas season.  Week 1 , Week 2 , Week 3 , Week 4 , and then the 12 days of Christmas each had a separate scripture reading, hymn, thought to ponder, ornament for the tree, and art.  We also listened to Part I of Handel’s Messiah . We may rearrange the h...

We avoid electronic toys at our house, even though we have enough computers that each child has her own.  I don’t care for the constant noise of the electronics, or the way play is limited to whatever was programmed into the toy.  A couple of our toys that are electonic but still have play value simply live at our house without batteries.  Not everyone understands why we are so resistant to these toys, but today an article in the Wall Street Journal explains why: Too Many Batteries Included

ART: J. M. W. Turner (1775-1851) English Landscape Painter Short biography http://cgfa.dotsrc.org/turner/turner_bio.htm 1. Rain, Steam and Speed http://sunsite.dk/cgfa//turner/p-turner15.htm 2. Fighting Temeraire, with commentary by Ruskin http://art-bin.com/art/oruskin5.html This work was chosen as the best painting in Britain by popular vote at some radio program: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/vote/greatestpainting/winner.shtml 3. The Boys Catching Crabs http://www.the-athenaeum.org/art/display_image.php?id=44513 4. Rome from the Vatican (painters seen with Rome as backdrop) http://cgfa.dotsrc.org/turner/p-turner21.htm 5. Fisherman at Sea http://cgfa.dotsrc.org/turner/p-turner20.htm 6. The Fifth Plague of Egypt http://cgfa.dotsrc.org/turner/p-turner18.htm Boys might enjoy seeing this: Sunrise with Sea Monsters http://cgfa.dotsrc.org/turner/p-turner23.htm Turner was John Ruskin’s favorite artist. Here’s some of Ruskin’s writing about Turner; there are more: ...

Christmas lasts from Christmas Day through January 6.  We’ll continue to light all the Advent candles, including the Christ candle, every night during this period. Luke 2:1-20 Christ Candle We celebrate because Jesus was born. We celebrate because Jesus is our King. Hark, the Herald Angels Sing Nativity ornament Handel’s Messiah, Part I, 13-17 Art:  Adoration of the Magi

Week 4 this year consists solely of Christmas Eve. Isaiah 9:6  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Peace candle Jesus brought peace to our hearts. When He returns He will bring peace to the world. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel Dove ornament Handel’s Messiah, Part I, 12 Art:   Nativity

Isaiah 12:2-6  2 Surely God is my salvation;        I will trust and not be afraid.        The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song;        he has become my salvation."   3 With joy you will draw water        from the wells of salvation.   4 In that day you will say:        "Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name;         make known among the nations what he has done,        and proclaim that his name is exalted.   5 Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things;        let this be known to all the world.   6 Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion,        for great is the Holy One of Israel among you." Joy candle Jesus saved us from our sins, which gives us joy. Joy t...

This post was originally a reply to a mom who was asking about starting first grade ( Ambleside ‘s Year 1 ) with her children age 4-1/2 and almost 6.  Normally the 6 year old would start Year 1 about 6 months from now, in the fall.  This was my reasoning for why it would be good to wait. I don’t say this to imply that anyone is wrong for pressing on with Year 1 early, but just to let you know that there are good reasons for waiting.  You may decide that despite those reasons it is worth starting in, and that’s ok. Year 0 is a lot more than just read-alouds.  (In fact, read-alouds are really a very small part of it. CM didn’t recommend spending huge amounts of time reading to the children in the early years anyway.  She wanted them to be up and around.)  There’s so much more to focus on, including habit training and nature study (and lots and lots of time spent outside just running around), and those things are *extremely important*, not...

1 John 4:9-12  9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. Love candle God sent Jesus because He loves us. Jesus came because He loves us. We show love to God by loving other people. O Holy Night   Heart ornament Handel’s Messiah, Part I, 5-7 Art:   Chancel Cross [Update:  Alternatively, use van Eyck's Adoration of the Lamb, which you can find at the Web Gallery of Art .]

This is our current plan for Advent, Week 1: Jeremiah 33:14-16 14 " ‘The days are coming,’ declares the LORD, ‘when I will fulfill the gracious promise I made to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.   15 " ‘In those days and at that time        I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line;        he will do what is just and right in the land.   16 In those days Judah will be saved        and Jerusalem will live in safety.        This is the name by which it will be called:        The LORD Our Righteousness. Hope (prophecy) candle God keeps His promises God promised to send a savior Jesus promised to return Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus   Noah’s Ark ornament Handel’s Messiah, Part I, 1-4 Art:   Jesus, Light of the World