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The Big White Farmhouse

intentional living, little by little

August 5, 2022

No.675: Our 2021-2022 Read Alouds

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Over the years, reading aloud has become an important staple in our homeschool.  It’s so fun to experience new books together and I love to hear them chant, “One more chapter!  One more chapter!”  I’ve been terrible about documenting them on the blog; here is the only post I’ve written, way back in 2019.  So with less than three weeks to go before the new school year starts, I’m noting the seven books we read in 2021-2022:

Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White // 184 pages

The classic story about a special pig and his friendship with a wise spider.  We’ve read this one at least three times at this point!  This reading seemed extra special since our own little piglets arrived here at our farm shortly after.

The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden // 144 pages

Another classic that we’ve read multiple times.  A tale about a mouse, a cat and a lost cricket with an amazing talent.  My kids love that hilarious Tucker Mouse!

Tucker’s Countryside by George Selden // 166 pages

This one is the sequel to The Cricket in Times Square and it was really cute.  The kids and I loved the dialogue between Tucker Mouse and Harry Cat!  My only issue with the book was a situation at the end that was morally gray (I’ll be vague so it won’t ruin the book), but the kids and I had a good conversation about it.

Ben and Me: An Astonishing Life of Benjamin Franklin by His Good Mouse Amos by Robert Lawson // 125 pages

We studied Early American history and this little book was a good addition to our studies.  We liked it, but it was a tad forgettable.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Ian Fleming // 144 pages

This one may have been the kids’ favorite of the year!  The book follows the Potts family and their quirky automobile called Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.  The story is about the family’s attempt to capture a notorious gang of robbers.  Very exciting!  (P.S. We ordered the 1960s movie of the same name and it’s nothing like the book.  My kids were disappointed.)

Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman // 368 pages

This one had a lot of promise: books, a mystery, clues and ciphers.  What’s not to love?  Sadly, it fell a little flat because we found the main character to be a bit bratty and selfish.  A page turner, but not a must read.

The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic by Jennifer Trafton // 352 pages

We ended the school year on a high note with this fantasy novel.  The story follows a ten-year-old girl who discovers a sleeping giant underneath the island where she lives!  She and her friend Worvil the Worrier have to convince the rest of the island’s inhabitants that a giant exists beneath them and that they should take precautions so as not to awaken him.  A fun one with some laugh out loud moments.  The kids loved it.

August 23, 2021

No.560: Last Week at the Farmhouse // The First Week of School

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After a busy weekend of chicken processing, I needed Monday to get my head in the game before heading back to school.  Did I sit back and relax on my last day of summer break?  Oh no no no.  In true Ashley fashion, I decided that it was the perfect day to do a big bedroom switch for some of the boys!  Deep cleaning, moving furniture, washing sheets and comforters and blankets…it was a huge project, but we managed to get most of it finished before the end of the day.

Our first week of school went more smoothly than I expected.  The kids were hard workers and while they won’t admit it, I think they like having a bit more structure in their day.  This week’s favorites with the little kids:

+ Learning about the new microscope and looking at all of the slides
+ Memorizing “The Goops”
+ Reading aloud Charlotte’s Web

My only complaint is how quickly I fell behind on my chores!  I know that I’ll figure out a routine soon and everything will eventually get done.

On my nightstand: I just finished The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal and really enjoyed it!  Now I’m on to Mary Coin by Marisa Silver and a memoir for Netgalley.  I’m also slowing working my way through Saint Monica: Model of Christian Mothers by F.A. Forbes.

After a week of rainy weather, the sun finally came out on Saturday and we all hit the ground running with outdoor tasks: lawn mowing, chicken gear cleaning, firewood cutting and garage organizing.  We took a chance picking our first watermelon and it was delicious!  It probably could have grown on the vine for a little longer, but it was still really sweet.  Is there anything better than cold watermelon on a hot day?

August 17, 2021

No.557: Our 2021-2022 Homeschool Plan: Term One

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Today is the first day of our eighth homeschooling year!  This year, I have one in high school, one in middle school, three in elementary school and a little guy who will definitely want to be like everybody else.  Our curriculum is inspired by Charlotte Mason, but is a hodgepodge of things that work well for my kids.  We’re keeping a lot of old favorites and adding a few new books too.  Below is my labor of love, the feast of ideas for the first twelve weeks:


TERM ONE: AUGUST 17 – NOVEMBER 5

MORNING BASKET
  • Bravewriter Read Alouds (includes copywork, writing and grammar)
    • Charlotte’s Web
    • The Cricket in Times Square
    • By the Great Horn Spoon
  • First Language Lessons, Level 2
  • Geography Through Literature
    • Seabird
  • Noeo Science: Biology 2
    • The World of the Microscope
    • Animals: A Visual Encyclopedia
  • Liturgical Living/Saints
    • 57 Stories of Saints
    • A Catholic Child’s Illustrated Lives of the Saints
    • Saints and Feast Days – Lives of the Saints: with a Calendar and Ways to Celebrate
PRE-K
  • All About Reading Pre-Reading
  • ABC See, Hear, Do
  • tons and tons of picture books!
FIRST & THIRD GRADE HISTORY

Spine: Beautiful Feet’s Early American History program

    • Leif the Lucky
    • D’Aulaire’s Book of Norwegian Folktales
    • Columbus
    • Pocahontas
    • Jamestown, New World Adventure
    • Pilgrim Stories
FIRST GRADE

Reading // Explode the Code 1
Math // Abeka 1

THIRD GRADE

Spelling // Sequential Spelling 1
Math // Teaching Textbooks 4

FIFTH GRADE

History // Beautiful Feet’s Modern and US History program

  • Across Five Aprils
  • The Perilous Road
  • Iron Thunder
  • Dear Austin: Letters from the Underground Railroad
  • Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt
  • Barefoot: Escape on the Underground Railroad
  • Lincoln’s Last Days: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever

Spelling // Sequential Spelling 2
Math // Teaching Textbooks 6

SEVENTH GRADE 
Religion // parts of Mater Amabilis
Logic // The Fallacy Detective
Language Arts, Grammar & Writing // Brave Writer
    • First Boy
    • Shakespeare’s Scribe
    • The Hound of Baskervilles
History // Beautiful Feet’s Ancient History program
  • Usborne Encyclopedia of the Ancient World
  • The Golden Bull
  • The Pharoahs of Ancient Egypt
  • The Golden Goblet

Geography // The Book of Marvels: the Orient
Math // Teaching Textbooks Pre-Algebra
Science // Noeo Science Chemistry 3
Electives //

  • Coding
  • Art // Simply Draw with Bob Parsons
NINTH GRADE

Religion // parts of Mater Amabilis
Poetry // Poetry and a Movie (grammar included)

  • Poetry Matters
  • Perfect Grammar Workbook

History // Beautiful Feet’s High School Ancient History program

  • Usborne Encyclopedia of the Ancient World
  • Gilgamesh the Hero
  • Tales of Ancient Egypt
  • Hittite Warrior
  • Days of Elijah

Science // The Riot and the Dance Foundational Biology
Math // Teaching Textbooks Algebra 1
Economics // Whatever Happened to Penny Candy?
Electives //

  • Spanish 1 // Breaking the Barrier
  • Auto Upkeep
  • Guitar Lessons
  • Art
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