December Fun School

When we started our homeschool year in July, I really did have a goal in mind…December is NO SCHOOL month!  We worked very hard on reading, grammar, history, science and math for 95 days so we could take this month OFF.  I had visions of sugar plums, candy, Christmas storybooks, games, crafts and more.  I am happy to report that most of these visions have come TRUE.  It all started with a basket of books for Advent.  I carefully wrapped and numbered them by date so I would know which book the girls were going to unwrap.  I had crafts or activites prepared for most days.  Now, lets see if I can really do this!

OK, we truly do have many learning things going on this month while we are having fun!  The girls have put in extra practice time at the piano.  Quite honestly, they have probably logged more hours this month than all of July-November!  They have also logged quite a few hours on Reading Eggs (Lyndsey) and AlwaysIceCream (Lauren) which are educational learning and review games.  They have also had to take math 100 fact (La multi and Ly add) timed test daily.  We have done a few science experiments, gymnastics classes, choir classes, tennis lessons and swim practices.  They doubled up on AWANAS scripture memory a few weeks.  Lyndsey completed her review book for year 2 of Sparks.  So for all of those moms who have looked at me like I was committing some kind of sin by NOT teaching my students this month, they really have been busy learning! 

One of our December Fun School projects was reading the Addy series.  We just completed our history unit on the Civil War.  The American Girl Addy is from the Civil War time frame.  Addy and her family were slaves who escaped to freedom in Philadelphia. 

As of December 18th, the girls have finished all 6 books.  Lauren is working on her storyboard for the Book Fair in January.  Lyndsey is starting to read Charlotte's Web for her book fair project.  We do have to pick up the pace if we are going to finish it!!! (Update 1/1/2014 -- We are not even close to completing Charlotte's Web and have decided to go for the stack of Amelia Bedelia books she has been wanting to read!)

As for our Advent book basket, each weekday the girls unwrap a storybook.  I read the book to them and then we do a craft.  Most of these are targeted at Colleen, but we all enjoy simple fun!

::December 2::

The Gingerbread Man

We made Gingerbread play dough.  It smelled up the whole house with yumminess.  This activity was a huge success.  The girls have enjoyed playing with it for weeks!

 Lauren has become quite the sculptor (art class 101)!

::December 3::

Who is coming to our house?

Ok.  I had a star craft planned, but hair cuts and a few other things ate up too much time today.  Thats ok!  Lauren did practice "giving to others"!  She cut of 8 inches for Locks of Love.

::December 4::

The Legend of the Candy Cane

 We enjoyed candy canes and made candy canes.  We also tried a recipe for peppermint play dough which did not set.  Oh well!

::December 5::

The Candle in the Window

Guess what!  Not all the planned activities where elaborate!  Today, we just placed our candles in the upstairs windows.  Simple.

::December 6::

Rosie Revere Engineer

Not every book was Christmas!  I think we also read Legend of a Christmas Tree today, but we did not do an activity with it! For Rosie Revere Engineer, we tried a little engineering with wine gels (kind of like ??? minus the sugar coating) and tooth picks.  This was another huge success which entertained for days!

::December 9::

Good King Wenceslas

Oh, this was a fun day!  The book came with a DVD narrated by Jane Seymour with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  It was beautiful!  We created stain-glass ornaments after we watched the DVD.

::December 10::

Rudloph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

We had reindeer noses for treats today.  Then we made reindeers using our hands and feet.

::December 13::

The Nutcracker

This was a no brainer for activities!  Tickets to see The Nutcracker with our homeschool group.  Daddy even took the girls which sweetened the day!!!

::December 16::

The Littlest Angel

::December 17::

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey

We watched the movie based on this book for Family Night tonight.  Great movie!

::December 18::

The Legend of St. Nicholas

::December 19::

Homeschool Group Christmas Party

The Christmas Orange 

We watched the movie The Christmas Orange.  My girls were completely captivated by the girls living in the home waiting for their orange for Christmas.  They have been asking to watch it again!

We have had a great month of fun.  It has made Christmas so much more relaxing than last year.  We will definitely be marking off the month of December again!