Ideas.

A few things I have implemented to keep things flowing and simple:

* I ordered the Modern Plan Book from Rainbow Resource Center, Inc,for about $3. The format is simple and lets me record what we do daily and my observations.  This can serve as the portfolio daily record for the state.

* Our theme for the year is Nobility with a poem to go along with it which I took the liberty to re-word so that it incorporates the idea I want to instill in Lars that we do all for God’s glory. I adapted this theme idea from Trivium Academy and also a Weekly Nobility Chart on a clipboard to be filled out daily which earns Lars points which he can save and cash in. This helps him log what he has done and puts some of the burden on him and teaches accountability.  

True Nobility Edgar Guest – 1916 &  ABlycker – 2008

Who does his task from day to day And meets whatever comes his way, Believing God has willed it so, To make His fame and glory grow He has found true greatness here below.

Who guards his post, no matter where, Believing God must delight in his presence there, Although but tedious toil it may be, it is Real worship and leads one To rise to nobility.

For great and low there’s but one test: `Tis that each man shall do his very best, Moved not by his own power and might But filled with the Spirit of the Father of Light.

Yes the one who lives to pursue All that eternity cannot undo, Is one who lives without internal strife, Living a truly impassioned life.  And this, my sons, is true nobility.

* After his journal, Lars does reading with a Readers Response Book also from Rainbow Resources. It will take the whole year to fill out as there are two pages per book.  He started the first chapter of Funny Frank. Each word he could not read immediately, I had him underline with a yellow crayon and then I made flashcards of the words and had him figure them out phonetically and learn them by memory.  Later, I’ll use these words for weekly spelling tests.

* As we are studying Egypt, Benjamin began reading to him G.A. Henty’s book The Cat of Bustabes.  It is not easy reading, but Lars thrives on words and vocabulary.  Ben has the dictionary next to him and when they do not know the meaning of a word, they look it up and Larsen writes the word and the meaning in his journal.  It is an enjoyable 30 minutes for them both while Anders is already in bed and I work.

Ideas I would like to use:

*  Just as much as book learning, I want my kids to be educated in the needs of the world around them and how they can live out what Jesus taught.  I have no desire to huddle in our house all week. I am looking into serving in a local soup kitchen once a week together and also visiting a nursing home.  When things are more settled I hope to incorporate these acts of service and cultivate relationships.

* In the grammar stage, memory work is important. It forms the mental pegs which a learner can later hang more thoughts and information on.  As I child, I bypassed this discipline and it still comes to bite me! My friend Katrina has suggested a small recipe type box with files according to subject which index cards with pertinent info. can be written on and easily reviewed each week. I plan on doing this next week as already there is much to review and re-enforce.