Elementary Round Up

It is hard to know even where to begin.  I stopped doing the Elementary Round Up Link-Ups because I took the lack of entries too personally. (Which was vain.) I was posting a link regularly but seeing a diminishing response. 

Quite frankly, I lack the fortitude to carry the thing through.  I resist deadlines.  They taunt me.  Suck the joy from me. 

So, I decided to enjoy my kids with my own eyes instead of behind a camera.  Which is how it should be.

But I lack some great pictures now . . . and am missing some blog pages documenting our learning.  Therefore, I am back at it. 

Due to some crazy sickness . . . Baby Jesus didn’t get born during our study of the Birth of Jesus with Grapevine Studies . . . so we started where we left off back at the beginning of December.

After all, it’s good to learn about Jesus anytime.  Right?

The Story is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

The Engineer and I have yet to decide on our new Math Curriculum.  So we kind of left math behind.

Instead, all three boys jumped into Marie Rippel’s All about Spelling and All About Reading.

Let me just say . . . I love this curriculum.  Forget Saxon.  We aren’t even going to finish what Asher and Ezra have left.  In just a few lessons, the boys have already picked up knowledge that they should have already learned. 

I often want to do our AAR and AAS first.  Shhh don’t tell! 

But they also like it too.

Even Naomi.

From All About Reading Level Pre-1 . . .

From All About Reading Level 1 . . . .

From All About Spelling . . .

We added Wordly Wise to the line up . .  which we are all enjoying!

Handwriting . . . Cursive A Reason for Writing . . .

Handwriting Without Tears . . .

And the Story of the World . . .

To see how to put together your All About Reading packet, visit my tutorial!

Preparing for All About Reading and a Giveaway

I should have known that Marie Rippel is smarter than me.  I never considered that she would explain (in the teacher’s manual) how to set up the All About Reading Level One program.

It seemed genius to me to create a tutorial of sorts, to show a newbie how to prepare for teaching All About Reading Level 1.

I put everything together, complete with pictures, before I realized that on page 13 of the teacher’s manual Marie had included instructions for preparing the curriculum for daily usage. 

She is the author and creator . . . of course she thought of everything!  (By the way, I have met her in person.  She is so sweet!)

Sigh.

How sweet?  Sweet enough to be hosting a giveaway!  If you want to win the All About Reading Level 1 kit . . . head on over to the giveaway.  Then come back! (Giveaway ends January 10, 2012)

But IRL pictures can be nice, right?

Hopefully you already received your All About Reading Level 1 kit which contains:

• a Teacher's Manual
• Student Packet (including Activity Book)
• Run, Bug, Run! reader
• The Runt Pig reader
• Cobweb the Cat reader

Additionally, you should have chosen the Basic Kit or the Deluxe Kit . . . UNLESS you have previously used All About Spelling with an older child.  The All About Spelling kit also uses the Letter Tiles and Basic Phonograms CD-ROM.  If you ALREADY have those two items then you might consider ordering the Reading Review Box, stickers, and tote separately, in addition to the All About Reading Level 1 kit, that is.

What do you need to get started?

• Set of color-coded Letter Tiles
• Reading Review box or index card box
• The Basic Phonograms CD-ROM (I haven’t listened to this in 3+ years due to having taught reading/sounds as a Kindergarten teacher.  But if you find yourself in any way nervous about teaching your child to read, this CD-ROM is necessary to your sanity.)
• Blast Off to Reading! activity book – Don’t photocopy the book for your next child.  Save yourself time, grief, ink, and money (not to mention copyright laws). Purchase a consumable book for each child.
• Magnet board (2’H x 3’W)
• two small baggies (I’ll explain later.)
• AAR Divider Cards.  They are firm, laminated, and fit nicely into the AAR Review Box.

What would be bonus (that comes with the Deluxe Kit by the way)?

• Reading Review Box
• Star Stickers
• Reading Tote Bag

The cost difference between the Basic Kit ($28.95) and the Deluxe Kit ($48.95)? 

20 bucks. 

Quite honestly . . . this is one of the RARE times I would cough up the money just to have the Deluxe Kit.  Maybe it is because we have so many school books and RANDOM bags . . . that I am drawn to order and ease of use. 

BUT I do like that . . .

• The star stickers fit perfectly on Ezra’s Reward Chart.  P.E.R.F.E.C.T.L.Y.  It is nice to already have them. 
• The bag?  It’s easy to find; everything fits inside in an orderly manner; Ezra knows that it is HIS. 
• The review box houses the review cards snuggly – keeping them from being damaged. 

See here?  Bent and unhappy cards.

They lacked the right home and have suffered, even though we recently moved them to a larger plastic index card box.  (These cards are for Asher’s All About Reading curriculum.)

One last item to consider . . . Ziggy.  Ezra would have been crushed to have left Ziggy behind.  He’s 5 . . . and I am going to indulge him ESPECIALLY because he now sees Gabe, his younger brother, using Ziggy for All About Reading Level Pre-1. 

Anyhow, we need to get moving on this project.

Take the Laminated Letter Tiles out of that plastic bag they arrived in.  I would recommend that you refrain from tearing them apart just yet.

See that white sheet . . . those are magnets.  Stick the magnets onto the letters.  Since the letters are perforated, it is easy to place one magnet on each letter tile.  Place two magnets on the back of each label.

Have your future student tear these puppies apart!

At this point you need your two plastic baggies.  Label one bag Level 1 and the other bag Level 2-7. 

In the Level 1 bag place,

• two sets of letters a to z
• letter tiles th, sh, ch, ck, ng, nk and the third s
• Consonant Teams label

Place the remaining tiles in that second labeled bag and store for future use.  Don’t forget where you put it!!  Maybe just keep it with your All About Reading Level 1, until you purchase the next phase.

On your magnetic board (mine is still at the store – we are currently using a cookie sheet – shh!!) . . .

As I was saying, on your magnetic board line up one complete set of alphabet tiles from a to z . . . including the red and blue y.  (Picture not shown)  Store the remaining tiles in plastic bag Level 1.

Now for the Reading Card Box.  I love boxes.

Place your divider cards in your box.  Easy.

Grab the buzzing yellow Phonogram Cards from the Student Packet.  These cards have some of the best perforation I have ever encountered. 

Fold cards in half horizontally.  Note the left and right columns.  Or numbers.

Place the left column on top of the right column or the lower number on top of the higher number.  By doing so you won’t have to re-sort the cards.  (The card number is found in the lower right hand corner.)

Accordion fold the smooching columns and separate, stacking the cards in numerical order as you tear them apart. 

I even had my future All About Reading All-Star help me out.

Which meant I had to re-sort . . . but even then that wasn’t such a big deal.

Place your cards behind the appropriate dividers . . . which are their color corresponding Future Lessons tabbed dividers.

Now, you as the teacher need a little bit of quiet to process. 

Things to consider . . . make sure your CD-ROM works in your computer (ours doesn’t even though the computer is NEW!).  Practice using this tool . . . listening to the sounds. 

Go through the teacher’s manual.  See what some of the future lessons look like.  Plan on spending 20 minutes each day with your child in AAR.

Gather some necessary supplies to be stored in your AAR tote.  Be prepared and avoid getting up from the lesson 20+ times because you didn’t grab the tape that you used yesterday to wrap a present upstairs. 

• a pair of student scissors
• mommy scissors
• a box of crayons (or markers)
• glue or tape (our adhesion of choice)
• miniature stapler

End your time of learning with a reward.  Your child’s star sticker!

Have a special basket of books specifically for snuggle time after a day’s lesson.  I highly recommend you get a copy of Honey for a Child’s Heart for some great children’s book ideas.

Have fun reading!  We are!

A River. A Rock. And A Bible Verse.

I have embarked on a journey to read through the Bible in the King James Version.

Don’t groan.

I’m actually loving it.  I never realized how in the silence of my head, God’s Word could be a dramatic reading of yours truly.  In my cranium, I feel like . . . an actress in a amazing academy winning drama.

With an Old and New Testament Dictionary in hand, I enjoyed my first saunter through the NKJ Scriptures this week.  In fact, I would go so far as to say I  viewed God’s Word with a fresh perspective. 

As a student.

Anticipating. 

Curious. 

Thirsty for more.

It is not a coincidence that I began my journey into the King James Version of Scriptures the eve of this post.

I always thought that the King James Version of the Bible was rather . . . dated.  Antiquated.  Difficult.  Hard to understand.

And yet – tonight I became enraptured by its poetry. 

This struck me. 

The blinders were taken off of my eyes, and the Holy Spirit gave me understanding to search the Scriptures . . . regardless of the translation.  The simple fact was that I was reading God’s Word.

It is my heart for the Vidunda people to have the Bible translated into their own language.

I am using a vastly different reading plan than in previous years. 

• Sunday – Epistles
• Monday – the Law
• Tuesday – History
• Wednesday – Psalms/Proverbs
• Thursday – Poetry
• Friday – Prophecy
• Saturday – Gospels

Having JUST discovered my plan today (with the help of a Google search) I attacked my reading while the Engineer registered for his upcoming class.

I was actual reading to kill some time.  Avoid thinking about what need to be done . . . written. 

But like the lure of a babbling brook, the Words enveloped me, surrounding my heart like a luxurious bubble bath.

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.  Romans 1:8

Sweet Jesus, what if . . . what if one day we hear of these people . . . of their faith . . . in some small-town America?

May it be so. 

Oh Vidunda people, without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers.  (Romans 1:9b)  For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established.  (Romans 1:11)  Though I don’t have to see you to give you a gift, may those working on my behalf impart to you the Words of Life.

Yet these are a people who sit near massive mountains.  Beauty that boasts of a creator because that which may be known of God is manifest (plain, apparent) in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.

But even though my Vidunda people are without excuse . . . even though God  caresses them with His majestic beauty daily . . . I can’t imagine what it will be like to pair that God given intuition . . . or experience . . . and put Words to it. 

The Word.  A Book that explains the things the Vidunda people see . . . hear . . . experience. 

So that they can then be like Joshua.  (Tuesday’s reading)  Bold.  Standing firm.  Courageous.

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate (ponder) therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein; for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success (to be an expert). Joshua 1:8

In the book of Joshua, I was allowed to see the initial preparations for the Israelites re-entry into the Promised Land.  They were encouraged to gird themselves with the Good Book.  By doing so . . . then they would have good success. 

Lord, as the Vidunda people acquire more Bible verses . . . allow them to hunger and thirst for your righteousness.    Father, that this people may have good success. 

When the Israelites were about to enter the land, Joshua said, “Sanctify yourselves; for to morrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”

Wonders. 

As I write it is Tuesday.  This post is scheduled for tomorrow – January 4th.  One Verse Bloggers Launch day.

Tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.

A promise.

Wednesday the Lord will do wonders among you.

Will you be a part of the wonders?

Today? 

Even tomorrow. 

What would happen if we partnered together to accelerate the translation of the Gospel to the Vidunda people group?  What if all of the verses could be fully funded by tomorrow?

Really . . . today. 

I’m not asking you to donate $1000.  I’m asking that each family represented in my readership pray about monthly sponsoring the Vidunda Bible translation project.

And the priest that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.  (Joshua 3:17)

Each of us, in Christ, is part of a royal priesthood.  (1 Peter 2:9)

I want to be a part of the priesthood that stands firm . . . that carries the weight . . . that supports the workers  . . . so that the Vidunda people may pass clean over the spiritual Jordan.

After the Israelites passed, a man from each of the 12 tribes was to pick up a stone

that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying What mean ye by these stones?

Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off; and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever. (Joshua 5:6b-7)

People – GOD stopped the Jordan river from flowing!

But as time passed, the vastness of this feat would fade in those Jewish eyes.  The magnitude of this walk across a dry riverbed would become the stuff of legends – not something that could happen in your lifetime.

(Ignore the soup, focus on the rocks.  Many come from river or creek beds.)

But a stone.  Let this serve as a reminder. The children would see it everyday.  God provided a way.  He offered salvation.  He alone performed miracles.  Every time they saw this stone, they knew . . . knew that it came from the very riverbed that brought them to the land they now called home. 

If the child didn’t believe their father why all they had to do was go find the other 11 rocks.  This wasn’t a made up story.  A legend.

What if today . . . . we created an event of tall tale proportions.  Will you skip a meal out this month?  Forgo Starbucks? 

Will you sponsor a verse for the Vidunda people?

Without further ado, let me offer you a memorial.  Join me each month to share the verse that you received in the mail.  The verse that your $26 translated. 

The 4th of every month, should the Lord tarry, I will provide a little blog post about our verse . . . and host some space for you to share about your verse.

I told you how I’m not OK with that.  And I showed you how you could join me in not being OK with that (yet another blog post I wrote).

Will  you act on it?

Today . . . a little envelope came in the mail.

I discovered it despite the mailbox handle lying in the snow on the street.

My verse. 

To find out what other One Verse Bloggers are saying, join us over at The Seed Company.

That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the Lord, that is might; that ye might fear the Lord your God for ever. (Joshua 4:24)

Otherwise, link up with me this month by leaving a comment with your Scripture Verse that was translated or write a blog post!

P.S. There is a little gift when you partner with the Seed Company for the Vidunda people group . . . .