Archives for January 2016

‘Hot on the Trail’ of Learning

detective 004 (2) Have you heard of the 100th Day of School?   Typically, it is an elementary school celebration and is a HUGE day jam packed with fun learning activities – especially in kindergarten and first grade classrooms across the country.  

As a former K teacher and now a homeschool mama to 5 kiddos ranging from Kindergarten to 8th grade, I’ve helped our children celebrate their fair share of 100th days around here.  With each year, it has become more and more challenging to figure out how to include both the younger and older kids in the day’s festivities, making it engaging and relevant to what they are learning.  I tried to break it to the older kids that this year the 100th day activities would be just be for the elementary aged kids, but that didn’t go over so well.  LOL!  

Take a closer look at a few of our ‘hot on the trail’ activities (across grade levels)…

detective table

hat
detective hats for our younger kids as they begin their learning investigations

tiny clues 
Tiny Clues

100 Hunt (2) 
100th Day 1-100 Sticker Hunt

100th Day Collections 
the younger kids’ 100th Day 100 Item Collections

detective donuts 
Don’t all good detectives deserve some donuts (and coffee, aka hot cocoa)?!

fingerprint suspects 
Fingerprint Suspects

 game (2)
The Cupcake Mystery Game (A ‘Clue’ Math Game)

hot on the trail mix
Our 100th Day ‘Hot on the Trail’ Mix
(The kids discovered that ten groups of ten small snack items add up to be a pretty large snack!)

revealing secret words 
Revealing Secret Words

Scripture search
Scripture Search for the older kids

secret case files 
Secret Case Files (The numbers correspond to each detective’s grade level.  =) )

detective cupcakes
A special dessert fitting for our super sleuths!

That was just a quick glimpse, but there was so much more to our day!  I’ve added our resource packet (with both elementary and middle grade ideas), to our Joyful Heart Learning shop.  Come check it out!

Cover

Sample

 

More 100th Day Resources:
100th Day (free ideas and printables at Hubbard’s Cupboard)

The 100th Day Marshmallow Incident (for purchase)

Touchdown: Celebrating 100 Days (for purchase)

The Favorite Part of Our Homeschool Day

Hands down, my favorite part of our family’s homeschool day is the time when we gather all together and sing hymns, review Scripture passages, use a short devotional to focus on the truths in God’s Word, and pray.

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We call this time Morning Worship, but it can (and does) take place anytime throughout the day.

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We use three binders for our family of seven.  In each binder, I placed several hymns that I desired for all of us to learn to sing as well as Scripture passages that many of us have learned previously.  I organized the binders so that there are two sheets (back to back) inside of page protectors.  Since we use them each day, I am hopeful that the added thickness will enable the sheets to last longer.

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After singing praises to Jesus and reviewing Scripture, we then answer the catechism questions as found in the book Training Hearts, Teaching Minds by Starr Meade.  Next, we read two days worth from the devotional.  For the ages and attentiveness of our kids, this seems to be a good amount for us.  To get our older kids more involved, I will often ask them to look up the Bible verse references beforehand and then they read those at the point in the devotional when the Scriptures are needed.IMG_6692 (2)

We follow the devotional reading with a prayer time.  In addition to praying for others, we are attempting to pray back Scripture read that day and making an effort to pray integrating what was just learned through the devotional reading.

I look forward to this short, enjoyable, focused, and intentional time with my family each school day!

Here is a free PDF containing our Morning Worship Binder materials – hymns and Scripture passages.  Enjoy!

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