five pinterest faves

 

 

For Trevy’s room…

 

…or maybe for the schoolroom.

 

Or both.

 

(photo credit and to purchase your own)

 

*****

 

I love things that are cute and educational!

 

(photo credit and to print your own)

 

 

*****

 

I’m lazy…you lazy?

 

Lazy Sunday Casserole looks deeeeee-lish!

 

(photo credit and recipe)

 

 

*****

 

I can’t stand clutter. 

 

 

Clutter makes me batty!

 

 

Which is why I need one of these thing-a-ma-bobs stat!

 

 

(photo credit and to purchase your own.  Or maybe a Christmas gift for me .  Hey, the last time I mooched a friend offered to make me those adorable felt fractions!  Soooooo….)

 

 

*****

 

Drat!

 

 

Why did I have to find this after I’d just been to IKEA?

 

 

(photo credit and more details)

 

 

 

 

 

…danielle

Trevy–the blog star!

 

 

I love everything about Totally Tots…but I have to say…

 

 

Cute Tots is one of my fave things they do! 

 

 

You can see Trevy’s sweet cheeks there…

 

 

 

 

…and share a picture of your own cute tot too! 

 

 

…danielle

his (5th grade) workboxes

 

His Workboxes

 

Math first rule…

 

and then the rest may or may not be completed in the order shown.

 

 

He’s working on dividing larger numbers now and learning how to check his work when he’s done. 

 

 

Both kids follow up their Math lesson with BigIQkids.com Math drills.  I’m using this rather than the Saxon daily drills. 

 

 

Both kids have Piano lessons with Super Grams.  She raves about Toby’s natural timing.  I laugh.  Because I love him and I’ve seen him dance!

 

 

5th Grade ACE

 

(and aren’t you proud that I braved letting you see his penmanship!)

 

 

 

We’re using ACE for English as well this year. 

 

 

We haven’t implemented Penmanship yet because ACE offers a lot of Penmanship practice built right into each lesson. 

 

Of course…I keep threatening him that if I can’t read his writing…we’ll be adding Penmanship to our school day too!

 

 

 

5th Grade Social Studies with ACE.

 

 

Plus a daily MapSkills sheet.  I *heart* MapSkills!  So does he. 

 

 

He finished up Swamp Robber yesterday and owes me a book report today. 

 

I also let him check out a couple Magic Tree Houses while we’re waiting for the next Sugar Creek Gang book to arrive at the library. 

 

 

 

Journal is really Creative Writing. 

 

 

The paper below is from Monday’s assignment.  But it was SO beautiful that I had to give myself a mommy brag moment. 

 

 

 

We also have Science today. 

 

The kiddos do this together on Weds and Friday afternoons. 

 

 

We’re on the Sun Chapter.

 

And since I didn’t purchase the notebooking journals, I decided we’ll be making our own lapbooks along the way. 

 

Can you tell those are handprint suns on the front cover? 

 

Click me to peek in more of our boxes!

…danielle

 

 

I’m linking up to…

   

…I hope you will too (cause I like being nosey)!

netflixing for history–Sophie Scholl

 

 

(photo credit)

 

The Hubs and I snuggled up the other night to one of the best movies (possibly ever) we’ve seen in a while.  The story of Sophie Scholl is so gripping that we hardly noticed the subtitles.  Which are there because this is a German film.  Production is such a personal taste kinda thing.  But both my hubby and I thought this was extraordinarily well acted and produced. 

 

A powerful story of faith in the midst of crisis. 

 

If you’re studying WWII with your older children…I would highly recommend this movie as a piece of your curricula.

 

And if not…maybe it would make a good (after the kids are in bed) date night movie with your man. 

 

It’s currently available via Netflix instant view. 

 

I always recommend checking out movies at Plugged In and Christian Answers to make sure you’re comfy with the content before clicking play.

 

…danielle   

 

 

 

backyard therapy: Trevy (montessori-ish) Trays

 

I draw a lot of inspiration from other blogger mommies.  A LOT. 

 

 

When I ran across the idea of Tot Trays I immediately knew I needed to get something similar-ish going for Trevy.  I add the ish because…well…Trevy is Trevy and because he’s Trevy we have to be creative in how we implement such a system.

 

 

For one thing…I could never (or at least not in the near future) have his trays out on the lower shelves where his curious little fingers could get into them without supervision.  While in many ways Trevy has grown into an easier to manage place…he still needs 100% supervision 100% of the time to keep him safe. 

 

 

My goal (I repeat GOAL) is to go through all of our trays each day.  The reality is…most days we’re lucky to work through 3 in a row.  And weekends are just that.  Weekends!  But I figure if we keep plugging along eventually it’ll become a routine. 

 

 

I set a timer for two minutes (sometimes five if Trevy seems to be extra interested) and we work on ONE tray until the timer beeps.  When the timer beeps we put that tray on the bottom…and take the top tray to play with.  And of course I always have my super cute sidekick peer model Bristel to help us out!  

 

 

 

For awhile I had the trays (which I bought at Target for $1.99 each) up on a high shelf.  But when they started falling off…I moved them to a closet!

 

 

So what exactly’s on these Trevy Trays? 

 

 

Speech Tray:  flash cards of words we’re working on and little kazoos to wake up those mouth muscles.

 

 

Color Match Tray:  Match the clothes pins to the color square.  A great fine motor activity.

 

 

Puzzle Tray:  I keep forgetting to add batteries.  I think if the animals make sounds it’ll hold his attention longer.

 

 

Dress the Bears Tray:  I have these cute little felt bears (Betty Lukens) that have little matching clothes.  Right now we’re just working on putting the clothes on appropriate body parts.  But in the future we can work on what to wear in what weather.  I actually super love felt for learning activities! 

 

 

Coloring Book Tray:  it is what it is.   

 

 

Make My Name Tray:  I have magnetic letters already spelled out.  The goal is for him to use the foam letters spell his name.  Most of the time this activity is more about keeping sensory seeking him from EATING his name.  lol

 

 

Lacing Tray:  I found the cute little Mitt and Ball printables here.  Print and use a hole puncher to add as many lace points as you’d like.  Bristel laced the Mitt.  Trevy can lace a hole or two. 

 

 

Brown Bear File Folder Color Match Game:  I use M&Ms to match with Brown Bear cut outs.  Click me to print your own. 

 

 

 

Brown Bear Book Tray:  The idea is to read the book and have him match the picture (velcro on back) to the page in the book. 

 

 

…danielle

 

exploring astronomy: chapter 1

 

 

Because there is a four year gap between the big kiddos it’s hard to do many subjects together.

 

 

Art works.

 

 

History kinda works.

 

 

Geography is fun together.  Especially cuddled on the couch Amazing Race style. 

 

 

And of course Science works! 

 

 

 

 

 

I use the text book as our current read aloud. 

 

 

And try to include some projects that help make it even more fun and sticky in the brain…

 

 

I found this really sturdy and cute Melissa & Doug puzzle for just five buckaroos at the new TJ Maxx around the corner. 

 

 

Ha.  Those chalks down there.  They’re mine…

from COLLEGE! 

They still work GREAT!  And the kids felt like super cool real deal artists using them.

 

A little artsy trick when using chalks.  Hairspray the finished product to keep the chalk from smudging.  I’m tip dropping cause I like sounding like I’m a super cool real deal artist too.

 

 

Not the best balloon solar system photo in the world.  But you know…I like keepin’ it real-ish. 

 

And of course Solar System learning just wouldn’t be any fun without the Anamaniacs…

 

 

YouTube is totally one of my fave teaching tools. 

 

 

Next stop, Scientists…The Sun!  I’ll be sure to share those projects as we go along too!

 

 

…danielle