Fourth of July Crafts and Our Second Family Olympics 2015 July 17, 2015

Hello dear ones, I hope you are well. Two years ago we had our first Family Olympics. You can find the link here: https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2013/07/07/my-family-rocks-sunday-2013-family-olympics/

This year we spent Independence Day having our second Family Olympics. I also have July 4th crafts to share with you. Here we go :).

We made 4th of July T-shirts.

 

Michael and Chris tie dyed a red, white, and blue shirt.

 

I used Leeland’s hand print and craft sticks to make this  U.S. flag onesie.

Michael did a lapbook on the U.S. flag. Link here:

 

http://www.currclick.com/product/72074/United-States-Flag–Speedy-Lapbook

Then Michael made me a red, white, and blue necklace out of beads.

We also did a state lapbook. Link here: http://www.currclick.com/product/76669/United-States-Alabama–Speedy-Lapbook

Then my mom came over for…

 

Family Olympics

 

I really love this event and I can’t wait until the next one. We should really have winter Olympics as well. We began by making our personal flags to represent us in the games.

We used index cards to keep score. Here are the events:

• Archery

Michael

My Step Dad Kim

Mom

Chris

Me

Leeland

• Foam Sword fighting

Me and Mom~ This was fun, but a word to the wise…make sure you zip up the trampoline if you use it. When Michael and I were sword fighting he actually fell through the unzipped part of the trampoline screen. Thankfully he didn’t hit his head too hard. It was scary though.

• Airplane Toss

• Egg Race

• Sac Race

Then just for fun:

• Parachute games

• Michael’s 4th grade piano recital. He played The Star Spangled Banner and Amazing Grace.

 

All of us won at least one medal, but Kim won the trophy.

God bless & remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover

More ideas:

 

St. Patty’s Day 2015 March 28, 2015

In this post: St. Patty’s food, scavenger hunt, decor, lapbook, and craft. 

Hello dear ones! Here’s how we celebrated Saint Patrick’s day this year.

• As you can see from above, we brought out our usual St. Patty’s decor. I let Michael set things up because I felt like I was going into labor that day (false alarm). You can see our family leprechaun and trap. We had Lucky Charms ready for breakfast, a book about St. Patty’s story, and this year an indepth St. Patrick’s Day lapbook.

You can find the lapbook here:http://www.currclick.com/product/1055/Saint-Patricks-Day-Lapbook

It has Catholic principles in it. We are not Catholic but we had an interesting conversation about praying to saints etc and what a Biblical saint is compared to the process of becoming a Catholic saint. As protestants, we don’t believe in praying to saints or talking to them at all. Also, we believe all Christians are saints and in the process of being sanctified. Anywho, the lapbook had great info about Ireland and we even learned some Gaelic. We talked about the symbols of St. Patty’s and how it’s celebrated in different places.

Even the dogs got festive! Here’s Annabelle :).

 

• Michael made this rainbow chain with a pot of gold at the end.

 

• That morning, Michael had a St. Patty’s placemat with activities on it. I got this free printable from: http://www.thedatingdivas.com/holidays/st-patricks-day/top-of-the-morning-to-you-printable-placemats/

 

• Chris and Michael did this St. Patty’s Scavenger hunt that I got from The Dating Divas. I set up clues around the house. Each clue bag had an activity that had to be completed before they could move on to the next clue. They were simple but fun. Examples: Don’t Eat Pete (leprechaun version with Skittles), figure out your leprechaun name, and find all the gold pieces.

Scavenger hunt printables here: http://www.thedatingdivas.com/holidays/st-patricks-day/st-pattys-scavenger-hunt/

 

• Lastly, we ate our traditional Irish foods: Irish stew (beef instead of lamb) and Irish Soda Bread. Chris made the stew while Michael and I baked the bread. This has to be my favorite bread.

Recipes here: http://pocketchangegourmet.com/irish-soda-bread-recipe/

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/irish-lamb-stew/detail.aspx

And I leave you with my 36 weeks pics (I’m actually about 38 weeks prego now. We’re praying that the baby comes soon though because he’s already bigger than Michael was at birth).

God bless & remember the High King Lives! ~Amber Dover

St. Patty’s on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/doverette/st-patrick-s-day/

St. Patty’s past on my blog:

Trinity lesson/craft & big party with tons of Irish recipes~

Crafty Monday: St. Patrick’s Day Celebration with the Homeschool Group

String maze, Shamrock punch, & peg dolls~

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Leprechaun trap & t-shirt art~

Crafty Monday: Prepping for St. Patty’s & Easter & Brazil Country Study

St. Patty’s decor~

St. Patty’s Day 2014

Leprechaun hunt~

My Family Rocks! Sunday:Dates with our Son, Hunting for Leprechauns, & Pet Parade

End of the Year Parties: Art & Music July 28, 2014

Hello dear ones!  We finished our last week of school (back in June) with subject based parties. Today I want to show you the Art & Music themed day we had. Also, afterward I’ll share ideas for the History party that never happened.

• We began our Art & Music party with a fantastic lunch! I made “tuna piano” sandwiches and Rice Krispy Paintbrush treats.
• I decorated the table with Van Gogh’s Starry Night and with Musical Luminaries. I printed out old sheet music and wrapped it around mason jars. I put fake candles inside.
• We then had fun by splattering composers and painting the classics. We used paint filled water balloons and waterguns. The Mona Lisa and Mozart really got it!

Our last day of school, I had planned on having a huge History party. If you’ve kept up with my blog then you know, we majored in History this year. Honestly, we were burnt out. We did soooo much with History this year. I just didn’t have it in me to do another thing. I had some good ideas though and I’d like to share them.

• Create a time machine trip in our back yard. Make a Jonah in the Whale tent, Greek columns,the pyramids, the Roman Colosseum, the Underground Railroad, and more. I was going to use cardboard and other inexpensive items to set it up.
• Then I was going to have Michael do some of the Historical crafts and games we skipped this year, as he went around to each period in time.
• Lastly, I was going to make the Historical treats that we never got to. You can find these ideas on my Pinterest under my SOW (Story of the World) folders. You’ll find ideas from Creation to the 1800’s.

Well, I hope you enjoyed our parties and maybe they’ve inspired you!

Here’s our first party: Science~

End of the Year Parties: Science

Our second party: Language Arts & Math~

End of the Year Parties: Language Arts & Math

God bless & remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover

 Pssst! You can find more ideas here:

End of the Year Parties: Language Arts & Math

Hello dear ones! We finished our last week of school (back in June) with subject based parties. Today I want to show you the Language Arts & Math themed days  we had.

• We began our Language Arts party by making black out poetry. Basically, you take a page in a book and you black out everything except for the words you want to use to make a poem. You start by circling the words you want to use (random words scattered across the page) and then you start coloring over the rest. We used a blue crayon. Black or white out would’ve looked better.
• Spelling games at http://www.kidsspell.com/
• We made Story Stones & made up stories. You find several smooth stones, cut out interesting pictures, and modge podge them to the stones.
• We ended our Language Arts party with poetry cookies. I used a poem we had learned this year, by Lord Byron.
• Our Math party consisted of us playing Math board games. We got the Multiplication and Division Space game at the Dollar Tree.
• Michael made shapes using popsicle sticks.

Well, I hope you enjoyed these ideas. Join me later for our last party, Music & Art (plus ideas for the History party that never happened):

End of the Year Parties: Art & Music

If you missed it, here’s our first party: Science~

End of the Year Parties: Science

God bless & remember the High King Lives! ~Amber Dover

Pssst! You can find more ideas here:

End of the Year Parties: Science

Hello dear ones! We finished our last week of school (back in June) with subject based parties. Today I want to show you the Science themed day we had.

• We began our day with snow cones. We mixed colors with different flavors of Koolaid. Then we put them all together to make a unique flavor for our snowcones.
• We made sand volcanoes by digging a hole in the sand, filling it with baking soda, and adding vinegar. I think this experiment would work best at the beach.
• Lastly, Michael made a nature frame by gluing leaves and such on a frame we got from the craft store. We modge podged the leaf so it would keep it’s color and stay stiff. It still looks good, weeks later.

This was an easy and fun day. Join me later for our second party: Language Arts & Math~

End of the Year Parties: Language Arts & Math

& Lastly, our Music & Art party (plus ideas for the History party that never happened):

End of the Year Parties: Art & Music

God bless & remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover

Pssst! You can find more ideas here:

 

The 1800’s Week 6: Heading West (The Final Week) July 21, 2014

In this post: Come join us as we take a wagon ride to the prairie! There will be pioneers and cowboys! Come hang out :). 

Hello dear ones! We’ve had a lot of fun learning about the pioneers and the world of Little House on the Prairie. This is how we learned:

Tall Tales

• We read about Paul Bunyan and Buffalo Bill.
• Michael watched Tall Tale.

Heading West

• Michael read and watched Little House on the Prairie. We actually watched the newer mini series.
• We took a virtual field trip to Little House on the Prairie sites.
• Michael “built” a log cabin when we visited Fort Mitchell, a couple weeks before.
• He also saw covered wagons at Fort Mitchell and the inside of a log cabin. There’s a picture of him ringing the supper bell.
• Michael drew a picture of a log cabin from his Draw Through History book.
• Little House on the Prairie Role play. I turned the reading pool into a covered wagon and Michael’s desk into the horse. Michael packed up the supplies for his “trip out west”. Then once he arrived, we used tp rolls and tissue paper to make a fire. I put a grate over the top and Michael cooked the food he had “shot”. He used our ukulele for a fiddle. We listened to actual fiddle music and danced around. Michael enjoyed pretending to be “Pa”.
• We made a covered wagon out of cardboard and tissue paper.
• We tried to learn old fashioned string games, like Cat’s cradle.
• We made yarn dolls. I remember my Granny making those for me.
• We read a book on Pioneers.
• Michael made a lapbook about Cowboys.
• Michael played The Oregon Trail, an interactive PC game.
• We decorated Western gingerbread men, which was creepy since we had just talked about the tragedy of the Donnor Party!

Other

• We read about Ireland’s potato famine in Story of the World book 4.
• We watched Dear America Season one: Episode 4. It’s about an Irish immigrant girl who travels to America (because of famine) and works in a factory.
• We read Jamie O’ Rourke and the Big Potato.
• We read Little Folk, about leprechauns etc…
• We read Irish rhymes.
• We read about Italy in Story of the World, so we also read Italian rhymes.
• Michael did a composer study on Tchaikovsky. He practiced playing “Swan Lake” on the piano.
• We read poems by Whitman and Keats.

Well, I hope you enjoyed our study of history this school year. We went from Creation to the 1800’s. Links at the end.

The 1800’s on Pinterest:

The 1800’s Week 5:https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2014/07/21/the-1800s-week-5-the-statue-of-liberty-technology/

The 1800’s Week 1: https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2014/05/20/the-1800s-week-1-sacagawea-claude-monet/

This is the last post for history this school year, so here is…

The Very beginning of our History study this school year: https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2013/08/27/crafty-monday-creation-the-flood-and-personality/

Time Machine Unit (The 1900’s): https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2013/01/08/a-late-crafty-monday-the-time-machine1900-1925/

God bless & remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover

The 1800’s Week 5: The Statue of Liberty & Technology

In this post: Statue of Liberty crafts and an experiment Edison would be proud of.

Hello dear ones! This is how we learned during week 5 of the 1800’s:

The Statue of Liberty

• Michael put together a Statue of Liberty lapbook.
• We read about the Statue of Liberty in Story of the World book 4.
• Michael did a splatter paint Statue of Liberty craft, using a silhouette.
• Michael drew a picture of it, using his Draw Through History book.
• Michael watched a video on the making of the Statue of Liberty.

Technology

• Michael read “Out of Darkness” about Louis Braille.  Then he drew his name in Braille.
• We read about Samuel Morse, Vincent Van Gogh, and Alexander Grahm Bell.
• Michael read about Thomas Edison and the light bulb.
• Chris and Michael made a homemade lightbulb using a mason jar, wire, batteries, and pencil lead. It was such a cool experiment! The diy video is on my Pinterest link.
• We read about steam engines and other inventions in Story of the World.
• We read stories about trains and Michael drew one from his Draw Through History book.

Other

• Michael did a composer study on Brahms.
• We read poems by Emily Dickinson and Ralph Waldo Emerson.

 The 1800’s on Pinterest:

The 1800’s Week 4: https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2014/07/21/the-1800s-week-4-the-civil-war-queen-victoria/

The 1800’s Week 6 (last one): https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2014/07/21/the-1800s-week-6-heading-west-the-final-week/

God bless & remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover

The 1800’s Week 4: The Civil War & Queen Victoria

In this post: Take a trip on the Underground Railroad and join the battle at Gettysburg. Come learn about the Civil War.

Hello dear ones! I know it’s been awhile. You’ve been on my mind though. Sooo…I’ve got several posts to catch up on. We are having our Summer break, so we’ve obviously finished the 1800’s. I’ve just got to catch you up.  Here we go :).  This is how we studied week 4 of the 1800’s:

Queen Victoria

• We read about Queen Victoria in Story of the World Book 4.
• Michael drew a picture of Queen Victoria, from his Draw Through History book.

The Civil War

• We read about the Civil War in Story of the World Book 4.
• Michael played Flight to Freedom, an interactive PC game, about the Underground Railroad.
• We watched Gone with the Wind.
• We read several books about the Civil War: If You Lived at the Time of the Civil War, Civil War Cooking, Who Was Abraham Lincoln?, What Was the Battle of Gettysburg?, Vinnie & Abraham (about a young artist who sculpted the President), A Picture Book of Robert E. Lee, and Following Freedom.
• Chris helped us make a Northern Star lantern, by punching holes in a tin can. Then he bent a clothes hanger to carry it. Add a fake candle and voila!
• Michael made an Underground Railroad lapbook.
• We learned about quilt patterns used as secret messages in the Undergound Railroad.
• I put up a Civil War timeline.
• We visited two museums and found all the Civil War stuff we could.
• Columbus, Ga was a supply center for the Confederacy.  We explored the River Walk and found historical sites. There was a cannon and an old bell.
• We had a can of Hoppin’ John, Civil War style blackeye peas.
• We watched season 1 episodes 3 and 8 of Dear America. Episode 3 is about a slave girl who learns to read. Episdoe 8 is about a confederate girl during the war.
• We read African rhymes and Her Stories, a book on African American folk tales.
• Michael did a lapbook on George Washington Carver.
• We bought toy soldiers (Civil War era) from Hobby Lobby and Michael reenacted a battle.

Other

• Michael read Little House in the Big Woods. He was workin’ his way to Lil House on the Prairie.
• We read poetry by Elizabeth Browning and a story about her romance with another poet, Robert Browning.

 The 1800’s on Pinterest:

The 1800’s Week 3:  https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2014/06/03/the-1800s-week-3-native-americans-the-alamo-edgar-allan-poe-the-gold-rush/

The 1800’s Week 5: https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2014/07/21/the-1800s-week-5-the-statue-of-liberty-technology/

God bless & remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover

The 1800’s Week 3: Native Americans, the Alamo, Edgar Allan Poe, & the Gold Rush June 3, 2014

In this post: Food, games, crafts, & fun as we study Native Americans, the Alamo, Edgar Allan Poe, & the Gold Rush! Also a composter study on Beethoven! Pull up a chair  and hang out :).

Hello dear ones! This is how we studied week 3 of the 1800’s:

Native Americans

• We read about the Trail of Tears in Story of the World Book 3.
• We read books about Native Americans: The Cherokee Indians, The Girl Who Lived With the Bears, & Follow the Stars.
• We read Native American nursery rhymes.
• Michael drew a picture of American bison from his Draw through History book.
• We watched movies about Native Americans: The Trail of Tears, Dear America season 1 episodes 1 &2, and Mandie & the Cherokee Treasure.  The Dear America series is on Netflix and it’s just wonderful. It’s fictional diaries of historical women.
• We wove a basket with a basket weaving kit.
• Chris made Native American Fry Bread. We tried it with butter and then with powdered sugar. I prefer the latter.
• Michael made a papoose and a Native American drum.
• Michael played the online game: Mission US mission 3: Cheyenne Odyssey
• We took a trip to Fort Mitchell and saw the Chattahoochee Indian Heritage Center outside of it. We saw where the Creek Trail of Tears began. We learned about the Indian Creek Wars and we toured the old fort. We looked at old stage coaches.

Edgar Allan Poe

• We went to the park and read  The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe. We happened to see a raven or a crow at the park.
• We watched videos about the genius of ravens. They really CAN mimic human speech. They can even use tools. Links are at the end of the post.
• Michael typed out part of the poem, “The Raven”. I printed it on scrapbook paper. Then I pasted it on fabric with a paper raven.
• We watched an old Mr. Peabody episode on Edgar Allan Poe.

The Alamo

• We read about the Alamo in Story of the World book 3.
• We watched Dear America Season1 episode 7 about the Alamo. It shows a Texan family during the Mexican American war.
• Michael drew the Alamo from his Draw Through History book.
• Michael made a model of the Alamo with styrofoam blocks. He had his own war with his little figurines.

The Gold Rush

• We read about the Gold Rush in Story of the World book 3.
• Michael did a lapbook on the California Gold Rush. Michael did a worksheet on what he would bring if he was a miner.
• We “panned” for gold. I filled our kiddie pool with dirt and aquarium gems. The orange represented fool’s gold and the yellow, gold.
• Michael played the online game “Rush for Gold-California”. You can buy it on bigfishgames.com. It’s quite addictive but it shows how the miners start mining towns. It’s easy and fun.
• We ate fish soup, a sort of gumbo.
• I made chocolate “nuggets” with peanuts and chocolate.

Other

• Michael did a composer study of Beethoven.
• He learned how to play Beethoven’s 5th Symphony.
• We watched “Beethoven’s Wig” a parody of the symphony.
• Michael read “Little House in the Big Woods” as he continues with the Little House series.
• We visited the Columbus Museum and Michael sat in an old one room schoolhouse.

Links after the pic…

 The 1800’s on Pinterest:

Music Lessons on Pinterest:

Native Americans on Pinterest:

The 1800’s Week 2:

The 1800’s Week 2: South America, Mexico, & James Audubon

The 1800’s Week 4:https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2014/07/21/the-1800s-week-4-the-civil-war-queen-victoria/

God bless & remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover

The 1800’s Week 1: Sacagawea & Claude Monet May 20, 2014

In this post:  A short dive into the 1800’s. Here’s week 1 as we study Lewis and Clark, Sacagawea and Claude Monet. 

Hello dear ones! This is a super short post but I didn’t want you to think I was skipping the first week of the 1800’s. We were so laid back this week. I’m thankful to finally be in the 1800’s though. I’m almost caught up on posts.

• We read about Lewis and Clark and their westward journey in Story of the World Book 3. We also learned about Napoleon, the Haitian revolt, and the rise of factories.
• Michael read “Who was Sacagawea?” and started reading “Farm Boy”.
• Michael drew Sacagawea, a grizzly bear, and the White House from his Draw Through History book.
• Michael read about Claude Monet and then he made a 3D lily pads in a pond picture inspired by Monet.
• Michael played an interactive Louis and Clark game.

Links after the pic…

Pinterest link for the 1800’s:

God bless & remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover

More posts:

The 1700’s week 3: 

The 1700’s Week 3: Australia, the French Revolution, & Lord Byron

The 1800’s week 2: https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2014/05/27/the-1800s-week-2-south-america-mexico-james-audubon/