discovering joy in the journey
Joy to the Heart
As you and your children embark on another new school year, don’t forget to capture the excitement of the first day!
Enjoy these free printable Grade Level Signs for preschool through 12th grade. They are ready for any calendar year as they contain no dates.
This is a simple tradition that, if done yearly, allows you to see just how much your sweet little people have grown each year!
Enjoy!
During this school year, our 3rd and 5th grade children and I have been delving into ancients for history and exploring astronomy for science! So far, the combination has worked well since both begin with the foundation of Creation with our loving God as the Master Designer. It’s the perfect combination for creation based studies!
As we study Biblical history and early civilizations and also discover information about the sun, planets, and stars, I like how it all so easily points us back to God.
The heavens declare the glory of God.
The skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Psalm 19:1 (NIV, 1984)
We are making connections with Biblical history and seeing how God’s hand was at work in both the forming and sustaining of the universe and the nations.
I am struck by the words in this small verse of Scripture.
Great is our Lord, and abundant in power.
His understanding is beyond measure.Psalm 147:5 (ESV)
great ….abundant in power….beyond measure
Yes! That is what I wish for our children to consider and contemplate as they continue to study this year. My hope is that they not only store up content knowledge, but that they encounter the Living God! May they always realize that it is Christ who is great in His steadfast love for us, who is abundant in power as He not only created everything, but sustains us and gives us life, and that His wisdom and understanding are beyond measure.
If you are also studying Ancient History with your children, you may be interested in a new resource that was just added to our Teachers Pay Teachers store – an Ancient History Notebook!
As part of our small homeschool co-op, we have been trying to incorporate art projects that coordinate with our science studies. We’ve been attempting to also make sure that the projects chosen are not just ‘craftsy’, but have a purpose and include an art concept. One site that I have recently discovered that assists with the teaching of the elements of art is the Kitchen Table Classroom. I have fallen in love with her site and the variety of ways she incorporates the concepts of art in a hands on, easy to understand way.
So, when desiring to spend an afternoon of fall art time with one of my daughters, I remembered seeing her vibrant chalk and glue leaf drawings. It was an enjoyable time of creativity and bonding, along with an easy review of contour lines, warm vs. cool colors, and blending! Below is what we did…
1) Gather supplies.
2) Position and trace your leaves.
Arrange your leaves on a piece of black paper. Make sure to leave at least a finger space between the leaves. Using a pencil, outline the shape of each leaf. It doesn’t have to be exact – just get the basic outline. Also, study the veins of your leaves. Then, add lines to the inside of your penciled leaf to resemble a few of those veins.
3) Outline with glue.
Use bottled liquid school glue to carefully trace over your penciled lines. It shouldn’t be thick and gloppy. Just gently squeeze and move slightly above your penciled line so that the tip of your bottle doesn’t rub against the paper. This will allow you to form smoother lines without breaks.
4) Air dry.
Allow your glued leaves to air dry. Ours took about 2 hours to dry completely. You will know that they are dry once all of the white glue lines are no longer visible. Instead, you should see a black outline of the leaves that are non-sticky to the touch.
5) Chalk the inside of your leaves.
Use soft pastel chalk to add color to the inside of each leaf. Choose warm colors such as shades of red, yellow, orange, and brown. Start in one section of your leaf adding 2 colors. With your finger, gently rub and blend them together. Work your way across each leave, adding color and blending to form the warm colors of fall!
6) Chalk the background.
To fill in your background, choose a few soft pastel chalks in cool colors such as shades of blue, green, and purple. You may wish to use the darker color on the outer edge of your paper and gradually switch to lighter shades as you move to the center of your paper or use various colors throughout. Gently blend the colors with your fingers.
6) Voila!
And there you have simple, fun, enjoyable works of art that reflect the twirling, swirling, colorful leaves of fall!
May you enjoy the time of relaxed creativeness with your children! And, go check out all of the great projects, tips, and free printables offered by Jodi over at The Kitchen Table Classroom!
Our oldest daughter has had a burden and a desire to participate in missions ever since she was little. I remember that when she was eight, she wanted to be a missionary gymnast. I didn’t have the heart to tell her that I didn’t think there was a place for that particular field in missions, but I knew that God could use any gift and skill for His glory and I was just delighted that she wanted to serve Him. In middle school, she explored the possibility of being in aviation. As she entered high school, she studied biology and thought maybe medical missions would be a good path. Then, she developed new interests in writing (forming and sharing blog posts about missions, scripting plays, and authoring a novel) as well as coming alongside and supporting friends who were hurting. So, now she is praying about the possibility of teaching, writing, or biblical counseling.
At sixteen, our daughter continues to aspire to follow Christ wherever He may lead her, but she remains uncertain what that will look like. I want her to realize that it is perfectly O.K. and expected that she not have it all figured out. She shouldn’t. She sometimes seems restless as she so eagerly wants to get started in the ‘real work’ and can lose focus on her current tasks (like, ahem, school). But I want her to hold on to the truth that God has a plan, and in His timing, He will show her the way and make it clear. Until then, it is a time of learning academically , maturing emotionally, growing spiritually, and serving joyfully as she is able right where God has placed her. He is faithful and I know that He will use every aspect of her life events, even ones she may not currently see a purpose in, to prepare her for even greater service and joy. God doesn’t waste anything.
Attending missionary events at church, praying for missionary families, reading updates from missionaries that our family supports, listening to missionary biographies at home, and even participating in a vision trip at a young age all have worked together to fuel her passion for Christ and to help her to be open to God’s call to go. But, even more importantly than those experiences is God’s Holy Spirit working in her young life so that she could truly understand the Gospel at a young age, acknowledge her sins, and see her need for the One true Savior – Jesus. I am grateful to Him!
Do you have a child in your life who is interested in missions?
Below are various resources that our family has used over the years to support and encourage a love for God and a love for His people throughout the world.
Books & Videos about Missionaries
Prayer Resources
About How Children Around the World Live
Curriculum
Discipleship Course
“God involves us in His mission not because He needs us but because He loves us and in His mercy He has invited us to be involved in His sovereign design for the spread of the gospel to the ends of the earth.”
~ David Platt
Meet Kate, Reynie, No. 2, Sticky, Mr. Benedict, Constance, and Rhonda Kazembe!
If you are familiar with The Mysterious Benedict Society series by Trenton Lee Stewart, you know that these are the heroes and heroines who save the world from Ledroptha Curtain and his menacing Whisperer.
During the spring and summer, our family thoroughly enjoyed reading and listening to Mr. Stewart’s entire series. Everyone appreciated the books so much that I sent my mom on a secret quest for small red buckets in anticipation of a Mysterious Benedict Society themed first day of school!
We began the first day by looking at the newspaper, so that, just like the kids in the books, they would discover an advertisement for attending a session of special tests for gifted kids. The theme was revealed in an instant and smiles abounded!
Next, I hand delivered each of them a wrapped package. Each package was identifiable with their name as well as with a character’s name from the story. Clothing fitting for the character was inside each package.
And then, everyone was transformed…
Reynard (Reynie Muldoon):
Reynie is great at solving riddles and complicated puzzles. He’s also a leader.
George (Sticky) Washington:
Sticky is a superfast reader and everything he reads or sees sticks in his mind. He never forgets anything! When he’s nervous, he endlessly tries to clean his glasses.
Kate Weatherall (AKA “The Great Kate Weather Machine”):
Kate can ‘weather’ any situation with her amazing physical and acrobatic feats. She is also known for always having her trusty red bucket filled with tools useful for anything that comes her way!
Constance Contraire:
Constance is the surprisingly useful, but completely stubborn toddler whose love for writing rude poems grates on everyone’s nerves.
Rhonda Kazembe:
Rhonda is one of Mr. Benedict’s loyal, kindhearted helpers who has an excellent memory.
After a fun breakfast with the ‘now’ traditional cupcakes, first day notes from mom, and a Scripture focus, the kids were off to take their tests!
Just like the characters in the book series, we had our children complete 3 special tests (including the honesty test with Rhonda and the Room Challenge). ( I found a free printable test here.)
Here is a look at a few of the other activities the kids participated in as part of our Fun First Day!
With a focus on teamwork, family, and friendship,
it was a very engaging and memorable first day to begin a brand new school year!
My favorite crew, all in character!
