Every summer I like to spend one morning a week focused on art history. During the school year, we tend to be on a tight schedule, but the summer allows us to be more laid back and truly enjoy every minute of bringing art history to life.
If you have read my previous posts on art, you already know that my kids go crazy over art projects, so we do those continuously throughout the school year. But this post is on teaching art history, so this is how we do just that. :)
Beginning in second grade, we complete one module/workbook of the Beginning Drawing with Thomas Kinkade curriculumeach summer. My children, including my little ones, enjoy watching the late Thomas Kinkade teach art concepts on the DVD and then they practice creating artwork in their workbooks using the concepts they learned about. Previous summers we've had an "Art Club" meet in our house with our close friends. We complete our art lesson together, eat lunch, and then jump into the pool and swim. My kids get very excited for art club!
TIP: If you only get one module from this set, it has to be Unit 4 which focuses mainly on Art History. I think it does an outstanding job of teaching on an elementary level.
Now that my middle boys are graduated from the elementary grades, I drill my boys weekly on the names of several famous paintings and their creators using Usborne's Famous paintings cards. We focus on six paintings every week and by the end of summer, they will have mastered them all. We plan to have a contest between my two boys to see who knows them the fastest, and yes, there will be a prize! Breaking up learning into small bits and then playing a game with what they have learned are two tricks to make learning fun.
We are also reading Usborne's Book of Famous Paintingsthis summer. We take our time with just a small section each week. I don't want my kids to feel like they are doing schoolwork over the summer, but they love it when I read to them so that is simply what I do.
When my children are in 8th grade, we begin God and the History of Art, which is an extensive art history curriculum. We continue to work on sections of that curriculum every summer throughout high school, and they earn an art history credit for high school. It is a terrific program, and I enjoy working alongside of them and learning, too.
I have been enjoying this summer with my kids. We've been on several vacations, spent lazy days reading, and had lots of cooling off in the pool. I recently made a dessert for the neighborhood kids and they went crazy over it. I think it was all due to the presentation, even though the recipe does rock. The kids loved the idea of serving the "summer sand" in a pail and scooping it out with a shovel. It really does look like sand!
I made my kid's favorite banana pudding, which is a combination of my sister's recipe and Paula Dean's famous recipe. My second son has been hooked on banana pudding since he was one year old, so I have tried many different variations over the years and we finally have the one recipe that will stick around.
Banana Pudding
A.K.A. Summer Sand
2 large instant French vanilla pudding
3 c. milk
Beat 2 min.
Add 1 c. sour cream
8 oz. cool whip
14 oz. sweetened condensed milk Beat until mixture is thick.
Layer pudding with four sliced bananas. Crumble vanilla wafers on top. (We have also used Pepperidge Farm's Chessmen Cookies or Golden Oreos for the top.) Refrigerate for a few hours before serving.
Summer Sand can be made with a Dirt Cake/Dessertrecipe for those of you who may not like bananas. Just use vanilla pudding in lieu of the chocolate pudding if you choose to make it this way. If you'd like your sand to look more realistic, add a couple of crushed Oreos to the vanilla wafers and mix altogether.
For the next pool party or party with a beach theme that I host, I plan on getting these adorable mini-buckets for individual servings. The kids could even take these home as a party favor.
OR I could use clear cups with those cute cocktail umbrellas on top for adults. The options are endless! I wish my summer days were, too. {sigh}
UPDATE:
My sister made this adorable Olaf cake using the summer sand concept. Some tips she had was to add blue food coloring to make the pudding look like an ocean and to divide up the cookie and pudding part. Totally cute!
Summer is officially here! The only way I like being outside in the afternoon in SWFL is if I am in the pool or cooling off with a refreshing treat.
Today Coen and I made a tasty treat that you are sure to love on Fox 4's Mom Squad- Ice Cream Sandwich Cake! My mouth is watering as I type this because it is SO incredibly delicious. My kids prefer making our own ice cream cake over the store bought kind, and they even request it for their birthday cakes. In fact, I have one sitting in the freezer for Colby's fourth birthday party this weekend.
Make sure to check out in this videoall the different ways you can make this summer treat- cookies and cream, mocha, mint chocolate chip, and Reese's peanut butter are a few to get started with.
HERE are the step-by-step directions to make this yummy treat.
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I interrupt the scheduled postings of FUN Christmas activities to vent share my thoughts for a few minutes.
During the months of December and June, I hear it more than any other months of the year. The phrases that makes me want to politely say, "Please do not believe what I did for so long."
These phrases:
"I cannot take off from our regular school plans for enjoying Christmas activitiesbecausewe will get behind"
OR
"I cannot take off (for holiday breaks or summer) because we need to catch up."
I want to kindly ask, "Behind who?" OR"Catch up to who?"
I want to gently say "Homeschooling is not a race." You will not get behind nor do you have to live with guilt that you feel the need to catch up.
I can relate to these comments because I said the same things. I always felt like I was in a race. A race to the end of the school year. I wanted to finish the school year with a sense of accomplishment. I wanted to close the books knowing that we are well ahead of my original plans. I wanted my children to be making extraordinary progress that would be meticulously recorded in my gradebook.
But guess what? It NEVER happened after 15 years of homeschooling. Many times I had to repeat lessons that took much longer than I had planned. The curriculum did not get finished, and I applied the wonderful tip of using bookmarks. The grades were not as high as I expected. My beautiful book of lesson plans soon would have arrows scribbled throughout it. My list of annual goals had to be copied and pasted into the following year's goals. Life's unplanned interruptions teachable moments made our lesson plans sometimes come to a complete halt. So I know these feelings of being in a race all too well. You can read this post to see what I've learned after 20 years of teaching and my current views on planning. In addition to that post, please be aware that curriculum companies provide more work than is needed. I never finished the complete curriculum when I taught in a classroom or at home. If your race is with your curriculum, learn to pick and choose what to use, and please do not attempt to cover it all or your race will be ongoing and you will be exhausted. Even races require pit stops to refuel. :o)
Why did I live with this mindset for so long? Now I can clearly see the enemy will do anything to rob my joy of homeschooling and parenting. He wanted me to live in bondage and feel guilty and like I was never doing enough to have me miss the real joy of just being home with my children.
I LOVE homeschooling and want others who have been led to do it to love it, too. My hope is for others to clearly see the enemy's traps to avoid the lies I believed for too long. I want home educators to look beyond the lesson plans, curriculum, and grades to see the abundant blessings. My desire is for parents to enjoy the journey rather than focus on the destination.
When you begin to embrace the journey- TRULY embrace the journey- the joy of homeschooling will be absolutely A.MA.ZING. You will begin to see the much larger picture and God's work in your homeschool day more than you ever have before. I created this video for YOU. I hope it inspires you totake time during the holidays to catch your breath and enjoy homeschooling in a new, refreshing way (and to learn the value of bookmarks like I did.☺) Let me know what you think of it.
Enjoy the journey!
Ephesians 3:20
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.
My kids love the summer months because we get to do activities that we normally would not have a lot of extra time in the school year to complete. First, my boys wanted to make a pillow. Yes, my boys wanted to learn how to sew. :) After visiting Joann's and seeing all the cool fabrics to choose from, my kids couldn't wait to race home and learn how to make their very own pillows. My oldest son (who has now graduated) made one when he was their age and he still has it. The boys use their pillows everyday while watching TV.
The middle one they made for a gift for Charity's birthday but Colby likes it, too.
Do you remember makingSpin Art when you were a child? I use to enjoy making these at carnivals. Well, now they sell a kit you can do at home. I purchased the kit for my niece's birthday and it was a hit! My boys soon wanted their own. For the price, it worked really well and they had a lot of fun.
And the biggest hit of the summer has been these mosaics. Kids just gravitate to these projects. I even purchased the mosaic kits awhile back for all my nieces and nephews for their Christmas presents. My kids make a different set each summer but this year we bought a few extra for the neighborhood kids to make at our home, too.
CLICK HEREto see the dozens of different kits that Amazon has to offer. There are even special kits for preschoolers that are absolutely cute.
Hope you are having FUN this summer with your kids!
What can you do with your kids this summer without breaking your budget and losing your mind? These activities below are sure to be a hit with you and your kids!
My kids enjoy skating with their friends. This is fun to do when it is rainy weather, too.
Bowling is a great family activity and is perfect to do during those HOT summer days.
The dollar movies are always a favorite with the kids.
Make a trip to the beach, visit a free local waterpark, or go swimming in a pool.
I had to find a way to use these photos in the post. :)
Visit your local library. They usually have special programs in the summer.
Many parents ask me how to get their elementary-age children reading for fun during the summer. There are reading programs at libraries and on-line but this is my FAVORITE reading program because it is personalized for your child.
Book Adventure
My children are literally hooked on reading this summer! This is how it happened-First, I read through the Book Adventure lists on-line for books I already had at home that are on my children's reading levels. Next, I made a big pile of those books on our dining room table. You can also get most of the books at your local library.
My boys and I developed certificates on-line at the Book Adventure site for personalized prizes and rewards, such as things they would like to do this summer (ex. bowling, movies, & sleepovers) You need to go into the parent's account on Book Adventure to personalize your child's prizes- this is an important part for motivating your child. Next, the boys take quizzes on-line after they read the books to earn points for prizes.
This program works like magic! My first and second graders read several books a day and are so proud when they bring me their printed certificates to redeem their prizes.
The best part- I never remind them to read. They just see the books on the table and want to read and take tests on the computer. They are self-motivated and are enjoying reading this summer.
CLICK HERE to learn more about Book Adventure on a previous Blog post.
Yay! It's finally summer! I have waited so long for it to be here. It was certainly one of the most challenging years of my homeschool journey with two toddlers wanting to draw on everything, taste everything, and interrupt almost every single lesson (wish I was kidding here). Whew! We survived and are fully embracing the break that summer brings.
Several people have asked me in the last couple of weeks what I do with my kids during the summer months. I'm definitely an advocate of summer learning to avoid the "summer slide" we often hear about. Did you know that students can lose approximately 30% of the
knowledge they gained the previous school year through the lack of practice?
I don't know about you but this educator needs a break in the summer months from the regular routine to catch my breath. Not to mention my children need a break, too. So how do we accomplish summer learning yet make it fun and refreshing?
I am actually recording a television series that will be airing in the next couple of weeks on this topic. I will be sharing creative teaching tips to use during the summer months. Until those segments are aired (and then I can post them here), I wanted to share my family's basic summer schedule with you all. It's like having summer camp at home!
First, we still do our chores and eat breakfast first thing in the morning but while my kids are eating, they watch an educational program, such as: Little House on the Prairie (they read the series this year), How It's Made, Magic Schoolbus, etc. {Click Here} for a list other programs we have watched for school time. Talk about disguising learning. They have no clue they are absorbing facts by the minute.
Next, we still cover the four basics each day.
Writing- The boys writea paragraph in their journals. My kids' favorite is the journal jar.
Math- We playfun games to keep those facts sharp, {Click Here} for a TON of ideas.
Reading- We all read (inc. mom) for 30 minutes during our D.E.A.R. (Drop Everything And Read) time. While the older boys read, I read to the toddlers or they sit and look at the pictures in the books independently. I want to model the love of reading for all of my kids. I do believe that is one reason they all love to read. {Click Here} for more ideas on implementing your own D.E.A.R. time.
Bible- The boys memorize verses for Kid's Club. More on that below.
These four things only take about an hour and a half each day and it's time well spent. It will save me so much catch-up time as a teacher in the beginning of the school year.
Each day of the week my children have something to look forward to do when their work is done. (I do want to mention that my kids are night owls and like to work ahead at night.)
Monday is Game Day. We play board games as a family. Watch the video below to see how much learning actually takes place while playing games.
Tuesday we have Art Club in our home where 10 kids take art lessons using a DVD/workbook program. This year we are using unit 1 & 2 from theBeginning Drawing with Thomas Kinkade.After art class, we eat lunch together, swim, and have yummy summer desserts.Ice Cream Sandwich Cake is usually the most requested dessert. These kids all grew up together and the moms are best friends so we ALL love art club.
Wednesday is Science Day. I hire a sitter who happens to be our former neighbor and has known the kids since the day they were born. She is earning her PhD as a scientist so who better to lead science day! She does 4-5 experiments with them and sometimes she treats them to the dollar movies they offer at Regal Cinemas for the summer months.
Thursday is Kid's Club. Ten neighborhood kids come to our home for dinner, a Bible lesson, arts and crafts, outdoor games, and swimming. It reminds me of Vacation Bible School but instead of having it only one week a year, we have it all year long. Here is our Kid's Club in action. {Click Here} to learn more about the Bible program we use for scripture memory.
Friday is Fun Friday when I usually take the kids somewhere fun, such as: a waterpark, the movies, Chuck E. Cheese's (esp. to use our free tokens), a museum, a nature center, kids bowl free, or a beach trip. I like to surprise them each Friday so they are super excited to wake up and to find out where they are going.
This is the summer schedule that works best for our family. Learning continues, the kids never get bored, each day is different, there is always something to look forward to, the kids still have plenty of free time, and it's not expensive at all. (I think of all the money that many parents spend during the summer on camps and activities- yikes!)
Do we adhere to this schedule strictly? Nah.... it is summer after all. We take breaks for sleepovers (like tonight), visiting family and friends, vacations, or just cause we want to.☺ But it is nice to have some routine in the summer.
I found a creative way to introduce children to writing and reinforce writing skills and I can't wait to share it with you- journal jars! Aren't these so cute and clever?
This photograph and activity is shared with permission from Organized Christmas.
A jar is filled with simple, kid-friendly questions that turn journaling sessions into fun!
First, print off the colorful writing prompts. Next, cut, fold, and place them in a jar. Have your children/students pick a prompt each day. They can tape it on top of a page in a blank book or copy the questions and then write their responses. They can even add illustrations.
Perfect for Summer Writing
Would you like your child writing over the summer to avoid the summer slide? Simply place the journal jar in the center of your table and have your child choose his topic.
Spark great conversations
Not sure what to talk about at the dinner table or during circle time in class? Pick a topic and go around the dinner table or classroom discussing it. Try to predict each other's answers beforehand to make it even more exciting.
This is one of my favorite summer art projects. It really is stunning!
First, use a paint brush to wet the entire sheet of white construction paper with water. Next, add several layers of colors using watercolor paints to create a sunset. The more imperfect it is, the better it will look when completed.
Cut out shapes (silhouettes) using black construction paper to create a relaxing summer scene. When the sunset painting has dried, glue on the silhouettes.
I add a solid black sheet of construction paper for the back to create a frame.
It really makes the project pop!
Just breathtaking!
Can you see why I love these? Each child's creation is unique yet gorgeous.
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My boys and I developed certificates on-line at the Book Adventure site for personalized prizes and rewards, such as things they would like to do this summer (ex. bowling, movies, & sleepovers) You need to go into the parent's account on Book Adventure to personalize your child's prizes- this is an important part for motivating your child. Next, the boys take quizzes on-line after they read the books to earn points for prizes.
This program works like magic! My first and second graders read several books a day and are so proud when they bring me their printed certificates to redeem their prizes. 
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