Reading Journals

With reading goals for 2018 set, we each selected a notebook for a reading journal, bought some book-darts, and gathered pens.  The idea for keeping a reading journal originally came from Sarah MacKenzie at The Read Aloud Revival podcast.  Of course after she inspired me, I made modifications to fit our family.  

Our goal for the year is highlighted on the front page of our journals, then a key for the symbols used to give information important to teach individual is outlined.  This information includes symbols for first time reading, first book in a series, nonfiction, graphic novel, rereading, and so on.  After the first 10 or so pages, we placed a clip to indicate a place to note quotes from the books we read. I told the kids as they read to place book-darts where the words move you, make you laugh, or make you think.  Once the reading of the given book is complete the title, author and page number is recorded in the front of the journal.  Then the quotes are recorded in the notes section.  This seems simple enough, yet once reading began I could tell everyone was reading with a purpose.  Looking for phrases that move them, made them laugh, or caused them to think.  I was told early on that more book-darts were needed.  

If you are looking for a simplistic way to motivate meaningful reading, look into creating a reading journal.    

Virtual Reality

After spending hours at our library programs, I was beginning to feel that our kids had grown out of the current programs.  So I was shocked when I mentioned the Virtual Reality gaming they were excited to participate.  

 Learning from experiences is my motto, which means I was game as well.  Both kids enjoyed the virtual reality play so much that once we got home, we marked the calendar to return next time.

My message here is throw some ideas out to see what sticks with your kids.  You may be surprised at what they latch onto in that moment.  Also, check out your local library.  Libraries today are so different from the libraries we grew up using.  Now, libraries have STEM projects, games, crafts, clubs, and evidently virtual reality.  Try something new this year and learn from the experience.

Board Game Discovery

Around our home, we love to spend mornings or afternoons together playing board games and card games.  So when I find an amazing one that captures the attention of each member of our family, I must share it.  

This one, Lost Cities, is a new game to us.  It took a few rounds of play before I really understood how the game works.  So much mathematical strategy is involved as you try to make a profit and check that your opponent is not.  Once the game is over scoring the game involves adding, multiplying, and working with negative numbers.  All that to say if you home-school in a way that applies skills learned to real life, this is the game for you. 

Reading from December

It is no secret that our family loves a deep dive into series that interests them.  This month was no different in our reading choices.

Bubba completed the Alex Rider Graphic Novels.  He usually does not show much interest in graphic novels but the kid-spy story line was captivating for him.  I was thrilled to see him expand his horizons and enjoy a different genre.  

Sis easily gets drawn into stories with action, so this past month completed Gordon Korman's On The Run series.  She was determined to finish before Christmas Eve since it is tradition to get a chocolate bar and new book that night.  I was impressed by her diligence once she read the series a week before her goal.

At the recommendation of a friend, I began reading the first book in Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series, The Lightening Thief.  I literally could not get enough so I completed the 5 book series over Christmas break!

Another great month of reading in the books!

December Round-Up

With December over, I reflect on exactly how thing went or did not according to plan.  The first week of December I explained to each child that they could enjoy their Christmas vacation as soon as they completed requirements for December.  This meant complete their current book, writing assignment, and math unit.  While we would still continue with our read aloud as well as various experiments in baking and slime making as well as crafting.  Each of the two kids completed work within that first week.  It was a lovely time to hang out, spend time playing games, and exploring interest in crafting and hunting.  

We certainly can not work this way each month, but it is nice to look back and see how a busy month can be productive when kids complete work and take their learning personal.  

My son completed 3 books in a series he was enjoying before Thanksgiving as well as listed to 6 audio books by his favorite authors.  He explained he enjoys audio books because he can listen to the story while doing other things like working out, computer gaming, and helping clean up.  Not only did he accomplish lots of reading, he also went bird hunting (ducks, quail, chuckers, pheasant) everyday from Christmas through New Years.  

Reading 8 books and listening to 3 audio books, my daughter enjoys reading to discover the story and focusing on one thing at a time.  She will happily use audio books for hiking and long walks, but often can be found cuddled up reading with her rabbit or family dog.  With a love for creativity through crafting, she completed 20 homemade gifts for friends and family independently using directions and YouTube videos to help her develop the skills she needed.  

New Year New Goals

After being inspired by ladies from my yoga class, I decided to set New Year goals.  Categories include: personal, family, home-school, work, and  financial.  I figure this should cover most areas of my life that I need to focus on in 2018.

In effort for some accountability, I wanted to post goals.

Personal:

• Read 60 books
• Eat Whole30 for January
• Daily 1 hour exercise
• Loose holiday weight

Family:  

• Ski/snowboard
• Baseball season
• Crafting 
• Texas trip
• Bear hunts
• Camp/scout
• Archery shoots
• Elk hunts

Homeschool:

• Morning basket daily
• Arrow units most months
• Weekly play games
• Poetry teas each month

Work:

• Lead 5 classes per week at local studio
• Set up Etsy shop
• Launch 10%Outdoors blog
• Blog weekly on home-school life

Financial:

• Pay off truck
• Save enough cash to cover Christmas next year

Fablehaven Series

FableHaven, by Brandon Mull, is the series we are just over half-way through reading and can NOT get enough.  While our read aloud time happens in our Morning Basket time, I wanted to give it a flair of its own, so I chose to use the audible version.  The character voices and performance of the reading draws us in each time.  We simply can't listen to only one chapter at a time.  Truth be told each day we listen to 2 or 3 chapters still wanting more.  The chapters average about 30 minutes each so this is a lot of read aloud time.  

Shared stories like these have been the heart of our home-school from the beginning and remain so to this day and hopefully in the future.  Embarking on the Bravewriter lifestyle, my desire was to incorporate copy-work, grammar, and reverse dictation center on our current read aloud.  This is much like the Arrow Guides found on the Bravewriter website.  With a little bit of help from the from the free Arrow Guide (James and the Giant Peach) for layout ideas and Pinterest for short grammar definitions and anchor charts, I was able to create a 4 week guide with an ending writing project.  

Lesson learned: 
Don't be afraid to love what you love and create what you need around it.