Easy Peasy: his 7th grade language arts

 

I’ve had quite a few questions about how I’m using Easy Peasy with the kids. I’m sure there are a lot of moms like myself. Curious. But hesitant. Because it’s free. And anything that’s *easy peasy* AND free must not measure up, right?

 

So I thought I’d keep writing the occasional picture marathon post. I’m visual so pictures always make it better. Although, you’ll have to pardon the blurry photos. I love great photography but my new smart phone makes it waaaay too easy to snap & upload. My poor Canon Powershot SX20 is busy collecting dust.

 

 

I’m still a fan of Sue Patrick’s workbox system. We continue to use our workbox totes. I really like Sue’s downloadable grid (free, along with other printable when you purchase her e-book).

I’ve tried a bazillion other methods of organizing and tracking their work but this one just fits us best.

So the picture above is a sample of today’s work load for my 7th Grader. I write his daily tasks – he then highlights as completed. I’m not going to line item everything listed. I really just want to focus on Easy Peasy in general…and how we’re using it for Language Arts in specific.

On line seven of his list you’ll see: EP – 60. That represents Easy Peasy Day 60. We started using Easy Peasy late in the year. He knows he needs to navigate to the Easy Peasy website then click on Level 7th and find Day 60. I expect him to complete everything listed for Day 60 minus Math & Foreign Language. We are using Easy Peasy for our Foreign Language too but he is on a different level.

 

 

So, for today he needed to read the second part of chapter 7. He’s looooving Call of the Wild! And then take the quiz.

He then needed to write for 20 minutes. He chose to write a story using five vocab words.

I consider Reading, Writing, Vocabulary, Spelling and Grammar all part of his Language Arts program. All work related to any of those will live in this notebook.

 

 

I quickly learned that using a notebook would help us keep his work organized & tidy. Some Easy Peasy students have a binder with tabs dividing their subjects instead.

 

 

When applicable, I have him type his work in Word and then print it out. We then cut and paste the page into his notebook. The effect is kind of scrap book-y. He digs it.

The first weeks of Easy Peasy’s Language Arts program is always poetry. After that the focus is more literature & writing.

 

 

There is not always printable work or even written work to add to the notebook. And really, if you don’t want the expense of printing you don’t have to print at all. You can teach your child how to screen capture and then copy & paste the screen shot into a Word doc for you to review later. It’s just easier for me, personally, to have them print out their work and keep it in a notebook.

The Easy Peasy Language Arts program can be a little confusing at first. Spelling is only occasional and consists of vocabulary words. Vocab words are taken from the current book. Grammar is spotty. Where Easy Peasy excels is the quality literature choices and the writing requirements.

Because my 7th Grader struggles with grammar I do supplement. This year we’re using Digging into Diagramming every other day & Daily Grams which we had left over from last year. I have him do his diagramming right in his notebook.  

 

 

I am definitely an Easy Peasy fan! The more we use it – the more I’m loving it! I’m super excited for his 8th Grade Easy Peasy program which will include GrammarLand. We had started reading it aloud last year and never finished. He really enjoyed it though…so I know he’ll be excited to see it on his docket.

If you have any other Easy Peasy questions please don’t hesitate to ask me either via email or our Raising Little Rhodies facebook page.

Happy Homeschooling!

…danielle

Play-Doh Geography–a twist on map blobbing

 

 

My daughter has really struggled retaining the names of the 50 states. We’ve tried music and workbooks and iPad games and trivia during dinner.

 

 

But I think it was all just too abstract for her.

Enter map blobbing.  I love love love the idea! We’ve been using the idea to learn the continents. One day the idea popped into my head that we could modify the idea to help her learn her states too. And she doesn’t need to draw it to retain it! Why, she could play-doh blob the states instead! Everything is more fun with play-doh!

 

 

So I searched Pinterest for the cutest FREE USA printable I could find.  Hands down it’s this one. I printed & laminated & added magnets to the back so it can hang on our white board. We just pull it off the board for geography lessons. I have her shape play-doh over 5 (gradually increasing the number) states of her choice. She then has to tell me the names of the states she’s play-doh blobbed.

You can make it as intensive as you’d like. My goal right now is just helping her learn the names of the states and where they are geographically. The natural connections, like places we’ve been or have family help make it more concrete too.

 

 

This is so much fun even the 7th Grader can’t resist helping when he happens to find her state blobbing!

 

…danielle

Trevy app Loves

 

 

The iPad still remains by far the best therapeutic item we’ve purchased!

 

 

Unless you count the various safety gadgets. 

 

 

Here are some new apps that Trevy is diggin’…

 

 

• Jesus Loves Me by Listener Records - Such a sweet app!  You can watch a cute little music video, play a memory matching game, listen to Bible verses or (Trevy’s fave) record yourself singing Jesus Loves Me with the animal friends!  It’s character training AND speech therapy!  And the best part of all – it’s FREE right now!

 

• There is a Star by Listener Records LLC – Grab it while it’s FREE!  This is a beautiful nativity music video.  The graphics are so adorable and message so beautiful that I was literally welling up by the end!  But I’m a sappy-head sooooo…

 

• Winnie the Pooh Wonder and Wander by Disney -  Another awesome FREEbie!  Trevy is addicted to characters and this app is just too much fun with our friend Tigger randomly bouncing around!  There is a matching game, puzzles and coloring pictures.  Super cute.

 

• Toca Tailor Fairy Tales by Toca Boca – We are huuuuge fans of Toca Boca!  This app isn’t quite as simple as some of the others but it’s still lots of fun.  Bristel is definitely enjoying it the most because she’s a future fashion designer, donchya know!  Snap it up while it’s FREE!!

 

 

Just a handful of apps that we’re loving and learning with right now!  Be sure to subscribe to Digital Story Time's Daily Deals and Smart Apps for Kids…which is where I find lots of my fave freebie apps!

 

 

Plus, I share freebies as I find them on my Raising Little Rhodies facebook page!

 

 

…danielle

a peek at how I’ve tweaked our daily schedules this year

 

 

I was going to try and do my scheduling and lessons for the week on Saturday night.  Since the Hubs is busy working on his sermon anyway.  But alas…I was way too zonked!

 

 

So it’s looking like Sundays are just gonna stay my “get it done” day.

 

 

I like a picture schedule for Bristel.  She’s in 2nd Grade and it works for her.  I am doing something new this year though.

I used to have just one grid.  Do you have any idea how tedious it was to have to reset her schedule every night?  If you do I know you’re with me on the “ugh” factor.

 

So I got smart!

 

And printed up Monday – Friday grids (you can find it over at Homeschool Creations).  So I can give her a whole week’s plan all at once.  Ahhhhh! 

Because she’s into a plethora of things I have a different theme for each day.  Owls, unicorns, horses, baby animals and flowers.

 

I used Open Office and created 1.50” x 1.50” frames.  It takes some work to line them up but I find it easier to work with than a spreadsheet.  Next, I surfed around online for freebie clipart.  Laminated everything.  (Hint: when laminating small pieces try using a dollop of clear glue stick to hold all those bitty pieces in place)  Added my fave Tombow glue.  It’s awesome because you can use it two ways.  Permanent bond…or let it dry until it’s tacky which lets you stick and restick stuff!  Tombow glue is on my must have list!  (Hint: it’s easier to add the glue before cutting all the bitty pieces out)  And wha-lah! 

 

She has a super cute M-F schedule which I can preset every Sunday.  She’ll just move a card to the backside of that day as she completes her work.

 

(Last Hint:  if you do something similar be sure to make some extra cards because you’ll inevitably add something to the schedule and it’ll make your life so much easier to already have an empty card on hand!  Trust me!)

 

 

Toby’s in 6th Grade and the picture schedules just don’t do it for him anymore.  But he really likes the daily calendar I’m using instead.  I found it in the Target dollar bins too!  I write his daily (skeleton) schedule out for him and add post it notes with further instructions as needed.  I hope to have him writing it out himself by the end of the year.  He crossed off tasks as he completes them.  I’m really liking the written schedule too because it allows me to go back and fill in my teacher’s journal more thoroughly.

 

 

There ya have it!

 

 

A peek at how I’m trying to help the kiddos (ahem…and mommy) stay on task this year. 

 

 

Happy Homeschooling!

 

…danielle

an imperfect mommy’s good enough memory books

 

I had grand plans for creating super adorable memory portfolios last school year.  Books that I envisioned my children sharing with their children and their children with…  Um, yeah, that was a fail.

 

 

Sigh.

 

 

Part of my issue is that I want things to be perfect.  Perfect or bust.  I’m a first born.  We’re really hung up on perfect.  The thing with perfect is…

 

 

ya know…

 

 

  It just doesn’t happen much around here!  I have too many kids.  I’m plugged into too many things.  I have too much on my plate.  I just can’t seem to do perfect.  Also, I’m being persuaded that perfect is a myth anyway.   

 

 

I have two themes for this homeschool (and mommyhood in general) year.  Use What You Have and Good Enough is Okay Too.

 

 

Hence…my good enough memory portfolios for this year!

 

 

 

I decided those 10 cent folders with the brads inside them were good enough.  You’ll notice the dark blue one is accessorized because I accidentally grabbed some without brads.  I was totally frustrated with myself and Staples (for mixing the two).  But then I decided to use what I have (and I have lots o’ brads and a hole puncher) and modify!

 

I also decided mommy decorating the front cover with a Sharpie was good enough…when I really wanted to run to Michael’s and buy all kinds of cutsie stickers and things.

 

You know you’re proud of me!  Right?  Rigggght?

 

 

I didn’t have to make my own printables but none of the pre-made ones really clicked with what I wanted. 

 

 

So I came up with my own good enough Me in the _______ Grade version.

 

 

We set up at our Huddle Table.  (which I have not regretted painting with blackboard paint btw)  I made sure to have colored pencils and a cursive formation guide.  The guide was added after both kids asked me for help.

 

 

The kiddos loooooved our first memory book project. 

 

 

I’m a sucker for sharing a funny moment.  One of the questions I asked them was what would they like to learn this school year. Which inspired the following conversation:

 

Toby:  I’d really like to learn more about Thomas Edison

 

Bristel:  snicker snicker

 

Toby (annoyed):  What?!  He only created light, you know!

 

Bristel (sarcastically):  Oh really?  He invented the sun???

 

 

 

I have their Memory Books filed in my mommy bin beside my desk.  Where all my homeschool and Trevy school things live.  I intend to fill them through the year with art projects, special papers they work on and other cool memory-ish stuff.

 

 

Click here to download and print the created by mwah good enough Me in the _______ Grade memory worksheets via 4shared.  Or you can email me and ask for the PDF that way.  Unless I can figure out how to upload it to my Raising Little Rhodies fan page.  Then you’ll have to like me for it!  Of course, I do share gobs of free iPad apps as I find them…so you might wanna like me anyway?   

 

 

Happy Mommy-ing!

 

 

…danielle

 

 

linking to…

simple no frills reward chart (and it’s printable too!)

 

 

 

 

 

Amy over at Are We There Yet? totally inspired me with all her back to school boot camp business.  I think it’s just the best idea ever…because I have a mad mommy blogger crush on her.   

 

 

Also, because I need a little boot camp in my life.  Oh Lordy, do I!

 

 

So I finally sat down and hashed out a reward chart I’ve wanted to create for aaaaages. 

 

 

 

 

As you can see, it’s nothing fancy.

 

 

My goal is to help motivate them with their school work, house help and character too!  All while keeping it easy peasy for me.

 

 

Each colored section represents a different “prize” they can work towards.  Our prizes include a Mystery Prize, play date, free day, candy bar, movie and who doesn’t love a little cash?!   Because I need things to be simple simple simple…there are only a few rules and ways to earn a square.

 

 

The rules…

 

• Only Mom or Dad do the coloring in of the squares
• BUT they get to choose which square to color. 
• The squares are colored in during our morning meeting time.  They are NOT allowed to ask at different times!  My kids are very very clever.  They’ve learned the art of asking mommy when I’m zonked or distracted.  Which means I’m more likely to say yes to almost anything.  Hence, setting the boundary of morning meeting only.  However, I myself am not bound to that rule and may surprise them by giving an extra square here or there.

 

They can earn squares by…

 

• Doing all their school work neatly and without griping

• Getting caught in an act of kindness

• Completing chores without fussing

• Reading a whole book with a book report (may be verbal or written)

 

 

Now for the follow through!  That’s always the hardest part.  But as far as the actually creating the thing…check that off my list.  Whoop whoop!

 

 

Just in case it sounds like something you could use…I PDF-ed it and made it downloadable!

 

(click image to download)

 

**if you don’t have a 4shared account and would like the chart please email me tanzie213@yahoo.com and I’ll send it right over**

 

 

Happy back to school boot camping!

 

 

…danielle

american girl for the iPad

Get em’ while they’re free!

Kanani’s Shave Ice

Secret Wardrobe

Gymnastic

Cheer On!

Make sure to like Raising Little Rhodies on FaceBook – it’s where I share all my freebie and fave apps!

…danielle

the great planner quest

 

 

Amy over at Are We There Yet?

 

put together list of Homeschool Planners so wonderful that I swear you’ll wanna smooch her!

 

 

So here ya go, Amy! 

 

 

Mwwwwwah from me!

 

…danielle

target: recognizing family

 

 

I have a bad habit.

 

 

I print things out.  With the best of intentions. 

 

 

The get stacked neatly on my desk.  Other paper work gets stacked neatly on top of that.  Before long, my pile is too big to manage so I hide it in a drawer.  Where I promptly forget all about my good intentions (among other things lost in the paperwork abyss).  Eventually, I’ll get around to cranky-cleaning stuff out.  Clutter makes me cranky.

 

 

Which is how I stumbled across one of the most adorable (and FREE) printable mini-books.  Evah! 

 

 

Daddy, Daddy

Who Do You See?

 

by Katie Yeh of www.playingwithwords365.com

 

 

Otherwise known as my fave Speech Therapy website. 

 

 

 

 

I had printed it out who knows when ago.  And then stacked, stashed, and forgot all about it.  Until I could take the stuffed drawers no more and found it again!

 

 

 

 

I am trying to change my forgetful (thyroid brain) ways.  So this time, I promised myself I was actually going to put it together!  I kept moving it to the top of the stack until I finally put it together!

 

 

Aren’t you proud of me?

 

 

I even got a little creative and added our own faces to the pre-made figures. 

But only because I knew it would make Trevy giggle.  His giggle is my addiction.  Truth be told though, it made Bristel and me giggle as we glued them together too!

 

 

I also laminated the pages and people (using painter’s tape to make them moveable).  But again, you don’t have to.

I’m just one a those crazy home school mommies…I laminate everything.

 

Trevy is very into books and his family right now.  One of his ABA targets is family members.  He has mommy and daddy down pat.  Brother and sister…not so much.  Which is cute…buuuut…  I’m predicting we’ll use this book quite a bit over the next few weeks.

 

 

In fact, I can’t wait for him to come home from school so we can snuggle up and read it together!

 

 

And of course, I had to share this sweet little book just in case you have a little one who is working on recognizing family members too!

 

 

…danielle

 

American Girl Celebration at Barnes & Noble this Friday

We made a BIG deal out of her first American Girl experience.  On her 6th birthday (she’s 7 now) we trekked to the American Girl Doll store in Boston.

It was SO fun!

She picked Kanani because who doesn’t love that beautiful hair?!  Which btw is super hard to keep beautiful!  (sigh)

She’s in a “take Kanani with me everywhere” phase.  Which is why I’m so excited that our local Barnes & Noble is hosting an American Girl Celebration this Friday night! 

Click me for more details.

…danielle

always a fan of FREE

 

If you’re local and a fan of FREE too…

 

 

you’ll want to check out this link for a listing of this year’s Free Fun Fridays!

 

 

…danielle

how we’re doing family worship today: Keys for Kids

Like every family out there we have struggled with consistent family time  worship.  We’d find something that worked for a while but then inevitably we would hit a Life bump in the road (early work schedule, late night baseball games, etc etc) and it would stall out.  Before we knew it months would pass before we were gathering together for worship at home again. 

Then one day not too long ago, I was feeling sappy.  And somehow my mind wandered back to when I was a kid.  And I remembered how my parents used to read Keys for Kids with my brother and I.  My memories may be fuzzy but I distinctly remember enjoying them. 

I convinced my hubby (who is more of the read right from the Word kinda guy…which is great and important but it just wasn’t working with the two littles.  He agreed. :0) to try out Keys with our kiddos. 

It’s been working wonderfully!

You can read it online, order the booklets or do like us and listen to the audio version!  We just gather on the couch around the iPad and listen to Uncle Charlie share that day’s Key.  I love that there is a little worship tune on the audio version too.  We’ve found that mornings work best for us.  And while we still haven’t managed to meet every.single.day, Keys has been helping us be more consistent.  

Anyway…

I just thought I’d share in case there might other families out there looking for a family worship time idea.  Give Keys for Kids a try…it might be the right fit (for right now) for your family too! 

…danielle

rhyming and phonics and other freebie apps

 

 

Rhyming Words by Grasshopper Apps is free today!  It may remain free but since my crystal ball is broken I’m adding the qualifier today.  This is my attempt to redirect any potential naysayers or critics.   

 

 

 

We’ve already played with it for a couple minutes and I looooove it!  It’s a great app to pair with the All About Reading Pre Level 1 program – which introduces the concept of rhyming.

 

 

Also free today…

 

 

ABC’s with Bingzy Bee: Phonics

 

The song is catchy and cute.  The games are a little advanced for Trevy…but that just means his sister gets to play teacher.  A role that she’s totally digs!

 

 

Our whole family’s  newest fave everybody’s gotta have it freebie app is…

 

 

Disneyland Explorer

 

 

There is nothing to not love about this one!  It’s kept the kiddos entertained for long stretches of minutes in a row! 

 

 

Now Disney just needs to create one for Disney World too!

 

 

…danielle

printable spring movement cards

 

 

My kids loooove movement cards and it’s a fun way to use word banks for different Seasons or Holidays too!

 

(click the image to download)

 

I whipped up these cute little movement cards tonight after Trevy’s school aide wished out loud for newbies (they’re still using Christmas movement cards).  Some things to keep in mind:

 

 

• I have NO computer graphic programs or training.  This was done with good old fashioned Open Office, copy & paste and lots of Action Alert-able muttering.
• Even my “work” is interrupted so I couldn’t take the time to perfect positioning. 
• Most of the actions are self explanatory but when in doubt use your imagination.
•   Annnnd…all of the clip art came from free sites.  If I have accidentally borrowed your art please let me know so I can remove it. 

 

 

Enjoy!

 

 

…danielle

 

 

Linked to…Montessori Mondays, Little Wonders’ Days Afterschool Linky Party and Thrifty Thursday

how we’re planning to use alphabet movement cards

I reviewed All About Reading’s Pre-Reading program last week.  In case you’re in a hurry, I’ll nutshell my thoughts right now:

I it!

So what does that have to do with movement cards, right?

Well…Trevy being 100(andthensome)% boy…

the thought occurred to me the other day.  While he was being wiggle-licious.  That I should take some movement breaks.  Or find some printable movement cards.  Preferably something that reinforces what we’re working on. 

Which led to surfing here, there and everywhere.  Finding notta that worked for me.  I was almost convincing myself that I should just develop my own.

Enter The February Curse

Every February…just far enough into the year to think we’ve escaped…it never fails.  The Curse hits us.  And hard.  This year’s was/is Influenza B.  Bleh.  Which meant an end to pretty much everything not involving groans of pain and hot hot showers. 

Today, was the first day that I really truly felt back up to snuff.

I tend to go cleaning crazy post sicknesses.  So I set about purging piles of papers. 

And found in the midst of mostly crap…

these peeeeerfect ABC movement cards I’d already printed out!  (who knows how long ago.  I drive myself nuts doing that. Printing stuff out and then forgetting about it. Sigh.) 

I proceeded to color the consonants red and the vowels blue.  Laminate.  Cut.  And hang the letters we’ve already learned with our AAR program around our Chicka Chicka tree.

When he starts to get squirmy, I’ll let him pick a movement card  from around the tree until we hopefully move move move those wiggles out! 

Now I (almost) can’t wait for him to wake up from his nap so we can do our ABC time!

…danielle

pre-writing work

 

 

Anything hand-write-y is SO hard with Trevy.  We’re battling his focus.  Plus, because his fine motor skills are still so immature it makes purposeful writing a difficult task.  Trevy doesn’t do difficult.  Or at least not without torturing his mommy (and therapists…teachers…aides…) who are crazy enough to make him try!

 

 

But he’s so very interested in letters right now.  And spelling his name.  Not to mention he has made gains.  He can write a mean T and O – which he must always turn into a face.  Because a circle is just begging to be accessorized with dots for eyes and a crooked line for a smile. 

 

 

I’m taking full advantage of his interest!  Handwriting sheets live in his Trays now. 

 

 

And was super happy when one of my fave homeschool mommy bloggers (1+1+1=1) posted some FREE letter tracing printables the other day!  I mean, I really want to buy Handwriting Without Tears workbooks.  I’ve added things to my cart but never checked out.  Somehow it’s just much easier to click print than purchase. 

 

 

I love love love how she uses a green dot to represent the starting point and a red star the ending point!  So wonderfully visual!  I was like, duh, why didn’t I think of that!?

 

 

In fact, I’m going to go green and red Sharpie crazy!

 

 

I like to either laminate printables or pop them in a page protector so he can use dry erase tools.  This mama knows how to stretch a dollar.

 

 

Did you notice the groovy green binder?  I stole that idea from Trevy’s preschool teacher.  Slanted surfaces make writing projects easier.  Click here to read all the benefits of using a slant board if you don’t believe me!

 

 

While Trevy was working, his sister (evidently a future movie producer) was taking video clips.  For me “to load on YouTube” (her words).

 

 

Being a YouTube movie star happens to be a great Trevy motivator as you’ll notice in the clip below. 

 

This video clip represents the actual amount of time Trevy worked on this project minus a minute or so when I hand over handed with him.  All the still pictures can be SO misleading.  Like we spend 30 minutes happily penmanship-ing.  Which is just not even close to true!  I’m lucky to get 3 minutes in a row of Trevy focused and compliant.  In fact, I tried to get him to show daddy when he came home from work.  Yeah, that didn’t happen! 

 

 

Mooch Alert -  Any OTs out there who read my little blog, if you have pencil grip recommendations please share!  In fact, feel free to share any pointers you have with me!  Kindergarten is breathing down our necks…and I’d love to have Trevy writing his name in time for his first day!

 

**editor’s notes**

A couple additional great ideas were given to me by a couple great professionals!

 

• When using dry erase boards use the Crayola dry erase crayons so you can break them into a smaller piece.  This forces a fist gripper like Trevy to use his pincher grasp.
• In general use smaller writing tools.  This helps encourage the pincher grasp as opposed to the fist grab.
• Use the rainbow method.  Hand over hand letters (numbers or shapes or whatnot) with one color…and keep drawing over that letter in new colors each time fading your help and allowing the child to work more independently as able.
• Try having your child write on a tall whiteboard or craft paper on the wall.  The more of their body they use the better.  This helps work on crossing mid-line too!
• Make sure your child is sitting in a supportive chair (both feet flat on floor) and using a stable writing surface.

 

…danielle