Welcome to Our School Table!
Our homeschool end of term review: This was my first year with multiple students (ages 6 & 8, with ages 2 & 4 in tow), and it has truly been a delight! I love getting to watch the wheels turn behind those beautiful eyes and be all in for the “click” moment when they understand a new concept. I would consider myself to be a (mostly) Charlotte Mason homeschool mama. I love her views of mother and child and the emphasis put on lingering over a delicious educational feast. That said, I don’t follow every subject she suggests for each age in the exact way she suggests. Nevertheless, we have a beautiful homeschool full of REAL kids. We laugh, we cry, and we just grab another living book!
I hope you’ll enjoy a peek into what feasted on in term 1 this year!
Core Curriculum Term Review: Shared Learning Activities
Morning Basket Activities
Our morning basket has become the cornerstone of our daily homeschool routine, bringing together students from both 1st and 3rd grade for shared learning experiences. Through a carefully curated selection of Bible study, Scripture memorization, poetry, and chapter books, we’ve created a rich learning environment that engages students across different age levels. This term’s morning basket activities focused on building foundational biblical understanding, developing memory skills through Matthew 5, exploring poetry with Mr. Rogers, and enjoying classic literature like Stuart Little and Castle in the Attic. While some activities required adjustments to accommodate our younger participants, the morning basket has proven to be an effective way to start each day with meaningful, multi-level learning.
Bible Study and Scripture Memory Progress
Foundations–While my kids enjoyed the activities, I wasn’t a huge fan of how small the passage selections were. We tried reading full chapters or larger sections each day, but sometimes the activity was too specific to the 2-3 verses assigned. We will continue with this book, because I do want to encourage them to press on, but I decided to lessen the amount of time allotted to this book and increase the amount of time we spend discussing the passage we are memorizing.
Matthew 5 (We made it through vs. 16!)–This became the focus of our bible study. We really dug in deep on what the memory passage was saying, and it was a great move! We really leaned in with discussion, Bible Project Videos, and weekly Watercolor Narrations (see my setup here). I’m always surprised by how much children can retain and understand. It truly is the work of the Holy Spirit! If you’re looking for a new Bible, I recommend taking a look at Crossway’s Literary Study Bible! I’ve really enjoyed using this for my personal study.
Poetry and Literature Selection Results
Started the year off with Mr. Rogers Poetry. My kids really enjoyed it, but it wasn’t my preference. I’d like something a little less quippy and a little more meaty. I knew when I chose it, I was choosing it more for the toddlers who participate in morning basket, and less for the 3rd grader.
Family Read-Aloud Achievements
We didn’t make it through as many chapter books in term 1 as I thought we would; however, it felt like we always had a book in our hands. Homeschooling with toddlers can be tricky, and this was one area that I was able to accommodate our little man. Read Aloud Revival’s monthly picture book list (which may be one of my all time favorite resources) provided many lovely reads this term. We did make it through Stuart Little, and as this was our first time reading it, we were shocked by how different it is from the movie! My kiddos all loved it, and we were sad when it was over. Next, we picked up Castle in the Attic–a favorite from my own childhood–and it has been a joy to reread. We aren’t quite finished with this one, but will wrap it up soon.
Arts and Culture Studies
Artist Study: Durer Exploration
Humble Place/AO schedule: Durer. I love these art prints and the videos make it very easy to incorporate. Finding information of Durer that was in manageable portions for kids was a little tricky. I think next time, I’ll do a better job of looking ahead and purchasing a study guide for lesser known (by me) artists.
Composer Study Results and Resources
I LOVED this study guide!!! Timbertable does such a great job of making composer study accessible and user friendly. Highly recommend this resource!!! Each downloadable guide comes with track A and track B, intended to be used multiple times. I really can’t express how lovely this is!
Literature and History Curriculum Review
Nature Studies and Literature Selections
All Creatures Great and Small – I was shocked when I got it in at how long it was. I questioned my selection at the beginning, but I decided we would just read as much as we could for the first term. (I know now that I thought I was committing to the Jim Herriot Treasury for Children!) This one definitely had to be read aloud by me and not handed off for student read-aloud because there were quite a few things I deemed inappropriate for my little listeners. Again, I know now that I had a mental mixup when I chose this book. Being so close to the end of the term when I realized this, I just opted for less nature lore and more nature exploration and journaling. It worked for us!
Classic Literature Adaptations
We have absolutely LOVED our selections this term!
Wonder Book for Boys and Girls (finishing from last year) is a true gem! The rich language is absolutely delightful, and it helps that my gaggle loves mythology. Our copy was ordered off of thriftbooks.com, and it’s just so beautiful!
Little Pilgrim’s Progress is likely our favorite book this school year. I’m excited to carry it into next term. I have fought back many tears reading this precious version of John Bunyan’s great work, as Helen Taylor traces the story of Little Christian on his journey to the Celestial City. This book has sparked so many gospel conversations in our home, and for that, it gets 5 stars from me! It is approachable, yet rich. A must read!!
American History and Biography Studies
Stories of America from Simply Charlotte Mason We’ve enjoyed this book. Because we used a different curriculum last year to cover most of the topics in book 1, I am noticing a few gaps for us. However, I know we’ll circle back around to book 1 eventually, so I’m not too worried.
Abe Lincoln, a Discovery Book This is a simple read, but no less chock full of approachable content. My kids especially enjoyed the fun stories of Abraham Lincoln as a kid and the retro pictures throughout the book.
Robert E. Lee, a Discovery Book Again, super approachable for emergent readers. We aren’t quite finished with this book, but it won’t take long, as these are relatively short biographies.
Geography Learning Outcomes
We LOVED Paddle to Sea! This was a last minute pivot for us at the start of the year, and I couldn’t be more pleased! I have found us lingering over our National Geographic World Atlas and reaching for the art box to draw our own maps. It has truly been a delight! We still have a few pages left of this one as well; however, when we finish, we’ll watch the 1966 film and move on to the next book on our list!
Grade-Specific Achievement Term Reviews
First Grade (Form 1B) Progress Report
Mathematics and Reading Development
Math: Elementary Arithmetic Book 1 – I will always and forever be a huge fan of Elementary Arithmetic (SCM) for elementary math. It is clear and straightforward. Manipulatives are simple and accessible, and it removes barriers to math! This is my second time going through this book, and I’m just as pleased as I was the first time!
Reading: A Gentle Feast – In the early lessons, I was really skeptical about this program. However, I have watched my girl grow leaps and bounds! In just 12 weeks, she’s recognizing words like “frightened” and “cupboard.” She’s also devouring Bob Books, which is a favorite in our home!
Early Writing Skills Progress
Delightful Handwriting – this has been a good and simple pick! My only regret is that I chose the D’Nealian style over Zaner Blosser, because my student already knew how to write most letters in more of a block style.
Third Grade (Form 1A) Achievements
Advanced Mathematics and Writing Skills
Math: Again, I love this series! My Form 1A (3rd grade) student is on book 3, and is doing so well. This book starts off heavy in review, but the pace quickens around 80 pages in when they pick back up with multiplication. It’s crazy to think that by the end of this book, we’ll be in fractions, weights, and measures!
Copywork: My learner is very skilled in handwriting, and we found copywork to be quite redundant and boring when simply writing excerpts from books. So, we pivoted, and she is now working on a letter to someone every week. This has been a good change of pace, and I think I’ll keep it!
Independent Reading and Music Education
Reading: One of my goals this year was to read as much as possible. Read independently, read aloud, read, read, read! This girl has risen to the occasion!! She has flown through 2 American Girl series (Kirsten and Felicity) and is halfway through the 4th book of the Septimus Heap Series. I’d say we are on to something!!
Piano: Although my husband has a music degree, we outsource for piano. I believe it’s so important for kids to have experience receiving instruction from someone besides their parents. She has been working through the Faber Piano Adventure series, and it’s been so fun to watch her skills develop!
Supplemental Learning and Co-Op Activities This Term
We are so grateful to live in a seminary community that has a homeschool co-op, where both my students take Spanish and Choir. What a gift to learn in community alongside other homeschool families!
Curriculum Adaptation Strategies and Learning Outcomes
I always strive to curate a delightful book list, because it’s kind of like setting a plate of cookies on the table. No one has to encourage you to grab another! There have certainly been duds in the past, but I’ve learned the value of pivoting when it becomes dull. I’ll step back, reach out to a fellow homeschool mom (thanks, Jessie!), and regain perspective. Sometimes, we need to adjust how we approach a book, and sometimes we just need to accept that a particular book or style isn’t for us or our season. I want our homeschool to always feel cozy and connected, and for the most part, these books were just the ticket!
I always strive to curate a delightful book list.
