Archives for August 2012

Character Traits for Kids

August 26, 2012 by 1 Comment

As part of the Joyful Heart Character preschool curriculum at Hubbard’s Cupboard, 27 character traits are explored with children.  This is done through singing a character trait song, memorizing a corresponding Bible verse, reading aloud related Scripture verses, studying a character or story from the Bible that models the trait, reading associated fictional stories, and  completing a craft or activity linked to the character trait being studied.

The following character traits are emphasized in the Joyful Heart Character Curriculum…
Orderly, Attentive, Teachable, Obedient, Respectful, Honest, Forgiving, Peacemaker, Courageous, Discerning, Content, Servant Hearted, Thankful, Self Control, Loving, Humble, Prayerful, Modest, Joyful, Generous, Responsible, Compassionate, Kind, Patient, Diligent, Faithful, Full of Faith

 

We have had the Character Trait Tune Charts available since the creation of the curriculum…Character Trait Tune Charts

but now you can also choose to print ones like this!

Character Trait Definitions and Verses

 Joyful Heart Character: Character Trait Definition and Verse Charts

 
If you are looking for a single sided chart that contains just the character trait definition and the related Bible verse, the above charts are for you!  The Character Trait Definition and Verse Charts focus on the same character traits as the song charts and use the same picture cues.  (Although these were originally designed to be used with the Joyful Heart Character preschool curriculum, elementary aged children can benefit from these, too.) 

As Christians, we desire to exhibit traits that reflect Christ.  We can train and instruct our children in these traits, but without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, they will be powerless.   As we teach the character traits, we need to pray that God will help our children understand that they are sinful and in need of a Savior, that He would stir in our children a desire to live for the glory of God, that they would accept Jesus as their own Savior, and invite the working of the Holy Spirit.  Children need God, not just good morals and character traits to follow!  We can use Bible stories to point them to God.  The stories in the Bible, the characters, the events – –  ALL point to God.  So, in addition to studying the character traits exhibited by the people of the Bible, we also need to make sure to take time to think about and discuss what the stories reveal about the character of our Lord.  Children will learn that He is all knowing, all powerful, faithful, loving, gracious, attentive, eternal, and much more!   It is a good reminder for us as well =)

Filed Under: Curriculum We Use, Kids' Hearts, The Joy of God's Word, The Joy of Homeschool

Marked By Love

August 19, 2012 by 7 Comments

heart shape

May this year be marked by love – love for God, love for each other,
and love for God’s Word to go to the nations.

That is how my dear husband prayed over our school year the first day of school, echoing what is in my own heart for our family this year – that we would show love.

first day 2012

Our ‘students’ – the children that God has blessed us with to love, cherish, and train up for His glory…

 5th 3rd 1st
PreK toddler

 

We usually start our school year on a Friday and have a Fun Start Friday!  This year’s theme was ‘Love’ and our focus verse was 1 Peter 4:8…

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

first day table

Here is a peek at some of the things we did….

Sword Drills (Looking up verses on love)

sword drills 
sword drills 3 sword drills 2

Heart Crafts:

heart craft 1heart craft 2
heart craft 3
heart craft 5heart craft 4

Fun Food:

pizzapizza2pizza3pizza4cookie heartcookie heart2 

Encouraging Notes and Some Silliness:

encouraging notes covered in love 1st day silliness              

 

The kids were excited and it turned out to be a great first day!

Praying that Christ will work in our hearts and increase our love over the course of the year,
that our love may abound more and more.

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This post is linked up with the 4th annual “Not” Back-To-School Blog Hop
over at the iHomeschool Network.  This week is Student Photos Week =)
Not Back to School Blog Hop

Filed Under: The Joy of Homeschool

Our 2012-2013 Curriculum

August 5, 2012 by 2 Comments

It is the start of the 4th annual “Not” Back-To-School Blog Hop over at the iHomeschool Network.  This week, homeschoolers are sharing their curriculum choices for this coming school year!

nbts-blog-hop-calendar-2012

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Our school year doesn’t start for another week or so, but our toddler, PreK child, 1st grader, 3rd grader, and 5th grader are ready to go!  My 4 1/2 year old is so insistent to start school that she gathered a bunch of readers and some extra workbooks and convinced her older sister to do school with her a few days this summer!  I guess I had better get to planning. =)

PreK

After praying, researching, waiting, and talking with some other friends who homeschool, a lot of the curriculum decisions for this school year have finally been made!

 

History / Geography
Although we have LOVED using My Father’s World, this year we are planning to use Preparing Hearts For His Glory by Heart of Dakota.  Preparing Hearts is a 35 week, 4 day a week study of world and Biblical history that I feel our three oldest children (grades 5th, 3rd, and 1st) will all be able to participate well in together and then be ready to dive into MFW Creation to Greeks next year. (Anyway, that it is the current thought that may or may not change. =) )   For Preparing Hearts this year, in addition to the history readings and related historical read alouds (see below), the kids will have an independent history study and a weekly history project that they can work on together  as well.  As of right now, I am thinking that my 5th and 3rd grader will complete the independent history study as scheduled in the teacher’s manual, but my 1st grader will have this section modified (maybe just listening to the scheduled reading, doing some of the drawings from Draw and Write Through History that are scheduled, and less copywork).

   Independent History Study 

 

Science
The science portion of Preparing Hearts loosely correlates to the history topics that the kids will be studying. For example, as the author states, “While students read about the Israelites wandering in the desert in history, they will study about the desert habitat in science.  When students are reading about seafaring explorers in history, they will study the coral reef in science.”  For each week, the kids will have one notebook entry, answer questions (written for the 5th and 3rd grader, but oral for my 1st grader), and complete a science experiment/lab sheet that corresponds to their daily readings.Science

 

Bible and Devotions

  • Our 24 Family Ways: Family Devotional Guide
  • Reading a chapter in Proverbs daily (and for a short time, we also plan to read Wisdom and the Millers)
  • Preparing Hearts study of the Psalms (including memorization and copywork)
  • AWANA memory verse work  (We have a third year T&T, a first year T&T, a second year Spark, and a second year Cubbie!)
  • Bright Lights Bible Study (3rd and 5th grade girls)

 

Read Alouds

  • Preparing Hearts schedules the following as history readings– Grandpa’s Box, A Child’s History of the World, Life in the Great Ice Age, and Hero Tales.  They also schedule historical read alouds that are linked to the time periods being studied – The True Story of Noah’s Ark, Tirzah, Classic Treasury of Aesop’s Fables, A Triumph for Flavius, Fountain of Life, Viking Quest I: Raiders of the Sea, The Door in the Wall, The Wonderful Winter, The Family Under the Bridge, and Twenty and Ten.  (I like how the oral narrations, written narrations, a related Bible verse, and questions are all integrated and scheduled -ready for me to use with the kids!)

 

History Readings

History Readings

 

Historical Read Alouds

Historical Read Alouds

 

 

Reading / Language Arts /Math
our 5th grader…

  • Readers:  She will be following the extension package reading schedule as found in Preparing Hearts as well as doing free choice reading on her own. Extension Package
  • Joyful Heart Spelling Skills 
  • Writing and Grammar:  BJU English and Writing 5
  • Horizons Math (completing Level 4 and heading into 5)
  • Xtra Math

 

our 3rd grader…

  • Readers: chapter books from Sonlight and ABeka, as well as free choice reading on her own
  • Joyful Heart Spelling Skills 
  • Writing and Grammar:  BJU English and Writing 3
  • Cursive Handwriting – completing the second half of the Reasons For Handwriting Transition book
  • Horizons Math 3
  • Xtra Math

 

our 1st grader…

  • Readers: ABeka 2nd/3rd grade readers, as well as free choice reading on his own
  • Explode the Code (books 4 -6)
  • Joyful Heart Spelling Skills 
  • Grammar and Punctuation (one time per week, oral)
  • Write a Super Sentence (one time per week)
  • Horizons Math 1 (continuation from last year)  and moving into 2
  • Xtra Math

 

our PreK child…

  • lots of emergent readers/phonics readers
  • lots of playtime with her little brother
  • second semester – begin Explode the Code 1 and Horizons Math K (not everyday)

our 2 year old…

 

Lifeskills and Extracurricular Activities

  • Gymnastics (5th, 3rd, and 1st graders)
  • Family Chores

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Are you curious what our planning looked like in previous year’s?
2011-2012 (4th, 2nd, K, 3’s preschool, toddler)
2010-2011 (3rd, 1st, PreK, 2 year old, 4 mo old baby)
2009-2010 (2nd, K, 3’s preschool, toddler, baby arrived end of year)
2008-2009 (1st, PreK, 2 year old, 6 mo old baby)
2007-2008 (K, 3’s preschool, toddler, baby arrived mid year)
2006-2007 (PreK, 2 year old, 7 mo old baby) – Joyful Heart Character
2005-2006 (3’s preschool, toddler, baby arrived mid year) – Joyful Heart Bible and Rhyme
2004-2005 (2 year old, 6 mo old baby) – Joyful Heart Learning

Filed Under: Curriculum We Use, The Joy of Homeschool

Strength for Summer

August 4, 2012 by 1 Comment

DSC_2310 (2)On June 1, my hubby loaded up the car and traveled 15 hours to the University of North Dakota – to spend the entire summer taking linguistics courses that would prepare him to better serve in his new role with Wycliffe Bible Translators. 

DSC_2320 (2)

After photos, hugs, several goodbyes, and waves, I gathered our five children around and cried silent tears as we walked back into the house. This was the day that I had been dreading for months.  Me, alone, with our five kids – I knew that groceries, bedtime, meal prep and clean up, discipline, etc. all fell on me.   I felt weak and incapable, and at the very beginning, somewhat fearful.  

It was a challenging summer – for all of us.

BUT GOD gave us the strength we needed each day to make it through.

As I await for my husband to return, I am flipping through my gratitude journal and reading the 185+ recorded thanks to God that span the time frame he was gone.  Some of the thanks look like this….

  • Friends praying for us and calling to check on me (even on day 1!)
  • Hearing our kids thank and pray to God before bed (our implementation of ‘2 thanks and a prayer’ before bed each night)
  • Grandmas (I think our moms are wonder women.  They swoop in, make the kids happy, magically make the dishes disappear, and relieve this mama’s stress.  They just work without their capes!)
  • Singing songs of God’s faithfulness during worship at church
  • An oldest daughter’s gentle hug when tears come
  • Ms. Becca infusing energy and a highlight to the kids’ weeksDSC_2337 (2)
  • Neighbors and friends being willing to help out with the yard
  • Speaking Truth to myself throughout the day
  • Rare one on one time with each of the kids
  • Time at spray parks and with family friendsDSC_2614 (2)
  • Friends praying for our 4 year old and offering to help when her temp was extremely high
  • Swim lessons and fun with friends at the poolDSC_2589 (2)
  • Cooking lessons with Lynda (for the girls and some of their friends!)DSC_2535 (2)
  • God – my refuge and strength
  • Little buddy and his love for the ‘Flintstone’ car (Yes, even inside the house on this hot, hot, summer day!)
    DSC_1802 (2)
  • Seeing my husband through Skype, smiling and enjoying the interactions with our kids
  • Sounds of giggles from the kids
  • God’s clear, visual reminder to rely on His strength and not my own
    stroller1
  • Two teens coming over to play with the younger kids so I could sew with the older girlsDSC_2569 (2)
  • Seeing our 4 year old’s face light up as her sisters surprised her with a handmade doll just for herDSC_2583 (2)
  • Knowing that God is always in control
  • Air conditioning (as it hit 104 degrees)
  • Books – LOTS of books from the library to read and some extra motivation from the summer reading programDSC_2353 (3)
  • The girls joyfully helping out with clean up tonight.  It was an encouragement and motivator for me to finish the day well.
  • VBSDSC_2633 (2)
  • Encouragement and direction from another homeschool mom
  • Brushing my daughter’s hair as we talked late at night
  • Feeling God’s hand sustaining me
  • Finally getting the spelling curriculum online with my hubby’s help from far away
  • Children sleeping in (and mommy, too!)
  • The sight and smell of RAIN sent from God
  • A fun, but exhausting backyard Olympics with friendsDSC_2718 (2)
  • Knowing that it was only through Christ’s presence, grace, peace, and strength sustaining me each day that got me through this summer

In Courtney Joseph’s eBook, The Proverbs 31 Woman: One Virtue at a Time, she states

When I take my eyes off of myself and put them on my amazing God – my fears flip to confidence.

Yes!  My fears turned to confidence – not in my own abilities as I am still weak.  However, I saw my fears fade as my confidence grew in Him!  For it is His strength and dignity that clothes my weaknesses.

As I reflect upon this summer, Christ’s grace, presence, and sustaining powerful hand is evident. 

Thank you, Lord.

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Filed Under: Mom's Heart, The Joy of Family, The Joy of God's Word, The Joy of Missions