Japan

Sometimes pictures can say a thousand words. 

Perhaps they can take you on a journey a thousand miles away.

Or bring the world a thousand miles closer. 

Introducing Japan with Little Passports. 

Thankfully, we were allowed into the country.  I always get nervous going through Customs.  {grins} (click to tweet!)

Our luggage made it through inspection.

We enjoyed sushi.

Experienced chopsticks.

And tried to learn origami.

Extra resources:

• Homeschool Creations
• Confessions of a Homeschooler (which we have and use)
• A Journey Through Learning (which we use SEVERAL of their lapbooks)
• Little Travelers, as suggested by my sister.  I’m looking forward to watching this series.

Other countries we have traveled to:

• Brazil
• Japan (you are reading it silly)
• France (March)
• Egypt (April)

Use the code FEB10 to receive 10% off until February 28, 2012.  We have signed up for the long haul . . . and Lord willing, will be traveling to all of the countries (that our friends Sam and Sophia go)!

What country have you learned about recently?

Elementary Round Up

Our school days have been accompanied by copious amounts of tea.  But the reason why is for another post (a weight loss post).

What have we done?

Legos.  When my mom bought the boys’ Christmas presents at the Lego store they handed her two empty boxes.  We took those boxes to the Lego store this week, and the boys happily filled the boxes creatively so as acquire as many parts as possible.  There inspiration came from The Lego Ideas Book.

Little Passports:  Japan

 Save 10% on Little Passports with code "LPJAN10"!

I will be posting about our trip to Japan in February, but here is a sneak peak at what we ate. 

Handwriting Without Tears

All About Reading Level Pre-1

We tackled one of the suggestions in the extension activities and Gabe made letters in a salt box. 

And while I am on the subject of Gabe, he also did a lot of Grapevine Studies Old Testament Bible Timeline lessons with us.  (Giveaway coming soon! Use code  JANFS to receive Free Shipping! ) He is very proud to be a big boy. 

Play Time:  not a spectator sport (in Gabe’s eyes)

And now for Sir Honey Ezra . . . haven’t heard that name in quite some time.  Sigh.  My boy is growing up. 

Abeka Math K

All About Reading Level 1

We encountered our first road block.  After four days of diligent work, sticker rewards,  and snuggles on the couch . . . we finished the reading page.

My inclination was to try and push him through his lesson the day that we initially began this page.  Maybe I should have.  But I didn’t want to risk damaging his love for All About Reading. 

So we stepped back.  We broke the lesson down into stages. 

And we conquered. 

History:  The Story of the World

We saw how Biblical History easily fit into World History . . .

. . . which tied in quite nicely with that new Bible Wall Timeline we are creating. 

Gym:  Basketball

Let’s pass the ball to Asher.

Bible:  This young man is adoring our timeline study of the Old Testament.

It is really helping to organize all the stories that float around in his head.

We have been plowing through All About Spelling. 

We started at the beginning of the program, so that we were familiar with the program and to make sure that we hadn’t missed any fundamentals.  It isn’t uncommon that we do three lessons in a sitting. I imagine once we move to book two that this will change. 

Teaching Textbooks 3

Of course . . . there were some fun moments.  Lots of tweeting moments while we studied birds with Apologia’s Flying Creatures of the 5th Day.  But you would have to follow me on twitter to hear what bird calls we were checking out! 

This little girl is moving!

Gabe has figured out that Naomi likes to push him.

What a patient basketball fan this girl is!

A busy day is ended with a nice nap in a fort before Awana.

What did you learn last week?

Destination Brazil

There is a huge longing in me to grab only the essentials, hop on an airplane, and immerse my family in a new culture.  Having spent the first two years of our marriage living in that excitement, not only did I bring a parasite or two back with me but a continual desire to adapt to a new paradigm.

A new people. Rich culture.  Sounds to learn.  New food to try.  Hospitality to understand.

I admit that becoming accustomed to India was no easy task.  And looking back it is MUCH easier to remember the good things and forget those hard moments. 

The homeless children.  The suffocating smells.  The extreme poverty.  Dirt.  The disillusionment and confusion . . . chaos.  Traffic.  Heat.  Monsoons.  Leaches.

But the people – the culture – forever seared itself to my heart.

I wish my children to have a heart for the lost, compassion for the needy, and an awareness that the life we live . . . is not the norm.  It is a privileged life.  A lavishly blessed life.

But I don’t want our life to be so cushy that an awareness of the vast world that God created be false.  At any moment in time, I want our children to know that if we are called to serve . . . . we will go. 

The Engineer and I have been rescued from so much.  The path of destruction that I was hurdling towards during that eventful first year of college for me . . . God in His rich mercy literally grabbed me by the neck and threw me miles and hours away from a most certain miserable path of slow and steady deception . . . that would have left me without hope, salvation, and the Engineer.

So . . . we study geography.

I am admittedly terrible at geography.  The whole idea of reading a map . . . I don’t get it.  When the Engineer or my friend, Sarah, gives me their phone to read the directions to them . . . I still get us lost even though Google shows you exactly what to do. 

My internal compass was simply never developed.

I think that is part of the reason I loved living in Colorado.  For the first time in my life, I knew which way was west.  I knew the direction I was going.  All I had to do was find the foothills. 

So . . . I teach my children geography.  We study the world.  One bite at a time . . . so that I don’t get us lost.

Recently, we found ourselves in Brazil. 

Though a fascinating country . . .

I can’t wait until we travel back again to Asia.  I am drawn to that part of the world. 

Looks like we are headed to Japan next. 

Perfect.

Where would you like to travel to? 

Please join us as we travel the world.  From now until January 31st receive 10% off with the code LPJAN10 over at Little Passports.

If you use Little Passports, please link up a blog post of your travels, making sure to mention Granola Mom 4 God along with this URL:  http://www.granolamom4god.com/2012/01/destination-brazil.html

See ya next month in Japan!

Little Passports

I just wanted to pass on a great discount . . . especially for those of you who want to study the world with your kiddos . . . but don’t want to print a bunch of printables.  Though here are three GREAT websites --

• Homeschool Creations
• Confessions of a Homeschooler (which we have and use)
• A Journey Through Learning (which we use SEVERAL of their lapbooks)

Or rather . . . you want something hands-on . . . interactive and then you will print some worksheets.

Little Passports.  My kids love it. 

We have lots of fun with it. 

15% off Little Passports with code SAVE15 (subtle hint)

But my camera ate all of the pictures . . . again.  And it isn’t something that I can recreate . . . feigned surprise.  They won’t do it.  It was such a fun moment too . . . opening our suitcase . . . exploring the contents. 

Sigh.  I need a new memory card. 

Maybe when we open our next Little Passports package --  I’ll have some new photos.  I think we are traveling to Brazil. 

Anyhow . . . use the discount.  SAVE15

And yes . . . I am an affiliate.  But Little Passports is a product we like and use!