Preschool Calendar time

Have I mentioned we LOVE homeschool?

In my last post I showed how to make a homemade wall calendar.  If you haven't read it, go check it out!  We'll wait...

How to do calendar time

1.  Remember I told you to get two colors of numbers?  Choose a pattern for the month using the two colors.  Have your child choose which number and what color goes up next.  (sample patterns: ab, aabb, abb, aab or you can get more complicated as they start to "get" it!)

2.  Put up the current date and say what day it is:  Today is (Day of the week, the date, of the month, in the year).  Let them help you say it!

3.  Count up to the number of the current date.

4.  Sing a song about the days of the week.
      We sing: "Days of the week. (snap, snap) Days of the week. (snap, snap)
       There's Sunday and there's Monday, there's Tuesday and there's Wednesday,
        there's Thursday and there's Friday, and then there's Saturday.  Day's of the week. (snap, snap)
        (which is sung to the tune of The Adams' Family theme song)

5.  Sing a song about how to spell the current month.  (I made up most of these, but some are songs you hear in most preschools.  You can always make up your own!  If you do...let me know by writing them in the comments!)

       S-E-P-T-E-M-B-E-R... S-E-P-T-E-M-B-E-R,
       If you love the sunny weather, then let's spell it all together...
       S-E-P-T-E-M-B-E-R!
       (tune of If you're happy and you know it...)

       Spell October, Spell October!
       It's the month of Halloween.
       O-C-T-O-B-E-R...O-C-T-O-B-E-R.
       (tune of Clementine)

       November has Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!
       November has Thanksgiving.
       N-O-V-E-M-B-E-R!
       NOVEMBER!
       (tune of the Wheels on the Bus)

       December!  December!
       Spell it all the way!
       D-E-C-E-M...B-E and R!
       (tune of Jingle Bells)

        January!  January!
       Brings a New Year!  Brings a New Year!
       Spell it to remember!  Spell it all together!
       J-A-N...U-A-R-Y!
       (tune of Frere Jacques)

       February, February
       Valentine's!
        February, February
        Valentine's!
        February, hearts and lovin'
        Let's all spell it, now Keep hummin'!
        F-E-B-R-U-A-R..and Y!
        (tune of She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain)

       There was a month with lots of green and March was it's name-o!
       M-A-R-C-H! M-A-R-C-H! M-A-R-C-H!
       and March was it's name-o!
       (tune of Bingo)

       Oh, A-P-R-I-L,
       It's April, It's April!
       Oh, A-P-R-I-L,
       It's April, dear friends!
       Spring showers, bring flowers
       Spring showers, bring flowers
       Oh, A-P-R-I-L,
       It's April, dear friends!
       (tune of The More We Get Together)

        M-A-Y spells May!
        M-A-Y spells May!
        M-A-Y spells May!
        M-A-Y spells May!
        (tune of Happy Birthday to You!)

        J-U-N-E...that spells June!
        J-U-N-E...summer's coming soon!
        (tune of Baa, Baa, Black Sheep!)

       J-U-L-Y spells July!
       Fireworks, fireworks in the sky!
       America's Freedom, big and strong
       With God's blessing will be long.
        Let's spell July!
        Let's spell July!
        Let's spell July!
        J-U-L-Y
       (tune of Jesus Loves Me)

       I'm a month in summer!  Hot and dry...
       Swimming pools and popsicles and apple pie.
       When my days are over
       Summer's gone!
       A-U-G-U-S-T...poof, it's done!
       (tune of I'm a little teapot)

          
6.  Sing the "what's the weather" song and decide what the weather is today and what it will be tomorrow.
     "What's the weather?  What's the weather?  What's the weather like today?
       Is it sunny?  Is it rainy?  What's the weather like today?"
       (tune of Clementine)

7.  Talk about what day it is of the week.  Then go over what yesterday was and what tomorrow will be.

8.  Say The Pledge Of Allegiance.

9.  Sing a patriotic song.

If you have any questions, or suggestions, please share!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Y'ALL!

How to Make a Wall Calendar for Preschool: A Homeschooler's Project

When we decided JMonster would be homeschooled, we talked to him about what HE wanted homeschooling to be like.

“Carpet time, Mommy!”

Carpet time?  What does THAT mean?

We talked about it some more and it came out that
carpet time = calendar time. 
And the weather. 
He loved the songs. 
He loved counting!

So I went about making a calendar space for us in our “classroom”.

I’ll show you

HOW TO MAKE A HANGING WALL CALENDAR

if you promise to not laugh at my drawings. 

Promise?

          Before you get started:

 Gather/Purchase or make the items you will need to make the calendar and go on the calendar. 

• Large versions of the twelve months of the year.
• A blank calendar with the days of the week at the top.
• Two sets of numbers in different colors.
• Weather chart...there are many designs for this.  Be creative!
• Yesterday/Today/Tomorrow signs with days of the week.

(I bought all of the above items at Dollar Tree.  
You could easily print them off of the computer...
or hand draw them.  
If you have the ability, LAMINATE it all!  
You’ll be happy you did!)

• Velcro and/or magnetic tape to hang the items on the wall calendar felt, as well as to attach numbers directly to calendar.
• 2 (or 4 if you make 2 of the wall hangings like I did) wooden dowels the width of your hanging.
• A length of rope to hang the calendar by.
• A large piece of felt...you choose the color!  Make sure you have enough extra to make your pockets out of.
   

Getting Started:

• Sew a pocket hem at the top and a pocket hem at the bottom of your felt.  I left our sides unfinished.  The pockets need to be large enough to place a dowel inside.
•   Decide the placement of your calendar, the month, and where you will need pockets to hold the “extras”.
•   Cut out your pockets.  I chose to make mine with deep sides, this is YOUR project so you get to choose the style!  Do be sure your pockets are deep enough and long enough to hold what they are supposed to hold.

 

(To make pockets that look like mine, make a parallelogram...the bottom edge should be just wider than the items it will hold plus 2X the depth front to back you are wanting:)

• Sew along the length where you want the fold to make the depth:

(Fold the pocket along these lines and sew about 1/8” in to make this fold stay.)  
• Place the outer edge of the pockets on the main piece of felt exactly behind the folds you made.  Sew around the edge about 1/8” in.  Don’t worry!  It will look “finished” when you are done.

(Sew these edges on the big piece of felt behind where the folds are!)
• Get your length of rope and tie it to either end of your dowels.
• Put your velcro/magnetic tape on your items and attach to felt.
• Put your velcro/magnetic tape on your numbers, months, days of the week, weather items depending on how they attach.  Some of ours don’t need these items because they slide in.  
• Place all of the extras in the pockets you just made!
   

If you have any question, please, please feel free to ask!  I made this by trial and error...let MY errors be yours so you can learn from my mistakes and not have to make your own.

Very soon I will post about how we USE our wall calendar! 

Stay Tuned!

Bloggy Boot Camp

Quick update...

Went to BLOGGY BOOT CAMP in Austin this weekend.  

It was FABULOUS!

I met a ton of wonderful women...beautiful women...

I learned an amazing amount!

These next few weeks I intend to use what I learned and make a few changes.

Right now I'm exhausted.

Sleep...

It's a slow fade...

 

Be careful little eyes what you see
It's the second glance that ties your hands as darkness pulls the strings
Be careful little feet where you go
For it's the little feet behind you that are sure to follow

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
It's a slow fade, it's a slow fade

Be careful little ears what you hear
When flattery leads to compromise, the end is always near
Be careful little lips what you say
For empty words and promises lead broken hearts astray

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day

The journey from your mind to your hands
Is shorter than you're thinking
Be careful if you think you stand
You just might be sinking

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
Daddies never crumble in a day
Families never crumble in a day

Oh be careful little eyes what see
Oh be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above is looking down in love
Oh be careful little eyes what you see

A pitched idea gets...pitched

I pitched an idea this week to a company 

(who will remain nameless at this time because I'd love to work with them in the future) 

and it didn't work out.

They didn't say a permanent no, just a for now no.

Feels permanent in the moment.

I've been approached a couple of times by different companies to try their products and blog about them.

Each time I've said no because that isn't really what my blog is about.

I found this company, though, and fell in L-O-V-E with their product.

I want their product.

I want MANY of their products.

(sigh)

Despite my sadness at not "making the deal"...

I will still praise Him.

For He is taking me out of my comfort zone.

He is growing me in ways I never even thought of.

I cannot wait to see what He has in store next!

Website layout

I'm contemplating changing my website layout/design.  Any suggestions?  I mean other than the obvious of STOP USING A BASIC BLOGGER LAYOUT? :O)

Hit me with your best ideas!

Anjelah Johnson...comedienne extraordinaire!

I'm SO behind the times when it comes to entertainment.  I never know who is who.  What shows are "in" on HBO.  (Is there still HBO?)

But recently I saw one of the most HILARIOUS videos I think I've ever seen.  You just have to take the time to watch this.  And afterwards, take a few minutes and click on a few of her other videos on You Tube.  I don't mind!  We'll wait...




What did you think?  Funny, huh?

World Perspective

I saw this map and was AMAZED at my own misunderstanding of just how large Africa is.  I understand how large TEXAS is, but to see this representation is just astounding.  Go ahead and click on the picture so you can read the entire article.  You won't be sorry!

 

And then come back and tell me what you think!

Keep your fingers crossed!

We have a contract in the works for the leasing of our home in Atlanta.  

We've negotiated back and forth over the past 2 weeks.  

Final contract has been sent to the tenants.  

Just waiting for them to sign it, return it, and send us a check.  

Or two.

Once again it will be strange to have people living in our home that we do not know.

However, I trust that they will take better care of the place than the last tenants did.

(Did I ever tell you the damage they left?  Holes in doors, pulls in berber carpet...oh, don't get me started on the yard!)

Wish us luck!

Next time we sell the place.

(sob)

Bloggy Boot Camp

 (Picture courtesy of SITS Bloggy Boot Camp Website)

Bloggy Boot Camp is headed to Austin, Texas at the end of this month...and I am going to attend!

Am I excited?

Yep!

Am I nervous?

Do bears poop in the forest?

OF COURSE I'm nervous.  I'm me!

But I AM over the top excited to meet all of the fabulous women who will be there!

I plan on learning a lot...

Hopefully something I can share with all of you when I return.

HAVE ANY OF YOU EVER GONE TO A BLOG CONFERENCE?
WHICH ONE?
WHAT DID YOU THINK?