Homeschool Colours Project

A fellow mama in our housing co-op and I have endeavored to teach simple lessons once a week to our 3 year olds on Tuesday mornings alternating homes and lesson planning.  My first lesson was about colours.  We talked about the primary and secondary colours.  The most popular project of the day was dropping food colouring into clear cups of water to watch how the colours mixed.  So we started with yellow, blue and red and then created purple, orange and green.

This was a great activity that a fellow mama told me about.  And water, cups and food colouring are usually on hand.  Next we filled in colour wheels to give us an idea about what the wheels look like and how the colours connect to each other.

We then read:

Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert

Rainbow Fun! by Beth Harwood

and Van Gogh's World of Colour by Julie Aigner-Clark

These books are very simple but kept the theme accessible.  We see these learning days as fun first and more of an introduction than teaching as you would with older children.

Our final activity was a game that I made up.  I placed coloured fabric in a circle around the room and we laid out the names of the colours in English, French and Spanish around their appropriate fabric.  With the help of this Cd (which I loved by the way) we said the words together.  Then each child took a bag with coloured objects and placed them on the mats as we called out the different names.

This game was easy to do with toys and objects I had on hand.  The Cd I borrowed from the library and the books we had on hand.  Such a fun start to our home pre-school.

On a side note Kyan really picked up more than I thought when he said in the car the other day: "It's Amarillo, right Mama?"  and we then had fun going over all the names together.  Little minds really are like sponges.

Learning about time with collage

Hello all!
I wanted to share a little project that my 3 year old and I did recently.  He has developed an interest in time: "When will I be 4?"
"When will it snow?"
"When does soccer class start?"

So in the interest of helping him understand time passing, seasons, months and weeks we made a simple collage with calendars and activities recorded.  Granted he can't read yet but we can look at it together and learn from the images and words.

This can be as elaborate or simple as you want and we created this from what we had on hand.  I found the calendar template here, we used old magazines for images, coloured paper, a pressed maple leaf and crayons.  You could also incorporate stickers, family photos or other artwork. Bristol board, a long roll of paper (what we used) or even fabric could be used for the background.

Things can be added throughout the season, you can make them reusable for next year or recycle them and start fresh.  I plan to do this project each season this year so I'm keeping a look out for any materials we can use in the future.

This is also a great way for kids to learn to use scissors, glue or other mediums like paint or pastels.  The beauty of this is that we did it in a day sporadically.  If you have more than one child you can make one for each of them so that the dates or holidays that they consider special can be highlighted.  Right now ours is in the family room but I think we'll move it into Kyan's room in a few weeks.

 
What I love about collage is that there is no "right" way to do it.  Any child at any age can participate and make this project their own.  As an added bonus I found this book at the library this week.  It delves into the concept of time from seconds to seasons and has deepened the conversation.  

I came across this amazingly powerful challenge a bit too late in the year to implement with my kindergarten students, but wanted to share for all you homeschooling mamas & papas.  Looking at your environment now gives you plenty of time to plan ahead for a future project that would benefit our planet.

Here is what the site says about Siemens:

Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge is "the only national sustainability challenge that empowers students in every grade level to develop and share environmental solutions that just may change the world!"

The process seems simple:

• Go online.  Create a team. 
• Brainstorm with your children an environmental change that needs to be addressed in your home, classroom or school. 
• Come up with a plan to address the problem and implement the plan.

I really want to do something with lunch waste... both recyclable and compostable.  Not sure exactly how to gather data and what to do yet, but I guess that is what next year's kiddos will help me decide.

Please go check out the challenge and consider signing up next school year.  The environmental impact alone is enough of a reason for me, but there are prizes too... really BIG prizes. 

I could list the prizes for you here, but I really want you to take a look at the site for yourself.  I think you just might be interested.

What environmental issue do you think your children could address?

A Teaching Imbolc

 In our area there are a group of Pagan Homeschoolers, so we all decided to get together for the Sabbats and do some Rituals with the children - since 90% of us are Solitary Practitioners it's the first time our kids have seen anyone other than Mom and/or Dad doing 'Pagan-y Things' ((as my youngest would say)). This Sabbat I was in charge of both the lesson and the Ritual for Imbolc. Here is what I came up with....

 

I think Imbolc is a great time to explain the importance of men and women in our culture. So often I catch myself speaking about the Goddess and Her importance - even knowing the importance the God holds as well. After reading some articles to that affect, I began to think how my male children might be coming to view the importance of the female deity over the male - the two working in harmony are at the core of Imbolc. The name Imbolc means literally "in the belly" as the Maiden Goddess is represented or symbolic of the seeds and roots being held safe and warm in the belly of the soil - just waiting for spring. As well as all the animals that find themselves with a babe in the belly at this time of year. The young god is getting stronger - shining his warmth and light down upon us for a little longer each day - helping these tiny kernels to also strengthen and prepare for spring. Without the God working with the Goddess we'd have no end to winter and the cold. Each day He gets stronger and His voice calls to Her with more charm, coaxing the earth toward warmer days. Right now the God is still a youth - so His light has little warmth, but as the days get longer His light grows stronger into warmth. The earth is preparing to produce life - both in plants and animals. Even people can't make babies without the male and female working together.

 

With this in mind I suggested we find some small brooms the girls in the group and pair with the boys. The boys can hold paper lanterns. Before we do the circle, the girls can sweep the area clean, walking with a boy who shines light down on our Ritual Space. This way our boys and girls can see how the God and Goddess are working together as well. We are sweeping away negativity, but we are also sweeping away the dark and cold of winter - preparing for the warmth and light of spring. In this same vein, the children made candle holders, so they better understand that we are welcoming in the light and warmth - it's right around the corner. Even as we thank the winter for the earth's time of rest, we are looking forward to the Wheel turning ever forward.

 

Our Group Ritual  -  

One candle (unlit of course) is on our altar. One of the girls gets to wear a paper crown of candles (with the candles circling her head), and one boy gets assigned to the covered candle and wears the horned one crown (also of paper, representing the God). All the other girls will get silk flower wands the other boys can wear a single candle crown (paper again) - they can even color them and decorate them before beginning the ritual.

 

The one running the ritual (acting as HP) gets everyone in the circle - boy girl with adults interspersed. One boy next to the covered candle at the alter and the girl with the multiple candle crown (representing the maiden goddess) off to the side.

 

The HP casts the circle with everyone standing in the circle but for the Maiden Goddess. Once the circle is cast the HP lights the Deity candle and invokes the Deity saying, "This is the time of the feast of torches, when every lamp blazes and shines, to welcome the rebirth of the God. We celebrate the Goddess, in her innocence and newness. We celebrate the God, growing stronger and true; All the Earth celebrates beneath its mantle of sleep."

 

The boy representing the God uncovers the candle, the HP lights it and says "The memory of Winter is strong and fresh, but I light the Fire of Spring and rejoice that the Wheel has turned. Today we celebrate the return of Spring, the restoration of light. Today we welcome the Goddess of Spring! Today we cheer on the Maiden for protecting the roots and seeds in her loving embrace. Today we celebrate the cycle of life!" Everyone cheers.

 

The boy passes out the candle crowns to the boys as the HP says, "All the land is wrapped in winter. The air is cold as the days are dark, and the earth is coated in bitter snow and frost. But Lord of the Sun, Horned One of animals and wild places, unseen You have been reborn of the gracious Mother Goddess, Lady of all fertility. Today we celebrate Your growing strength! The young God growing ever stronger His light and warmth banishing the dark and cold. Today we celebrate the return of His strength!" Everyone cheers.

 

The boy returns beside the alter, the HP looks to the girl outside the circle says, "Come the Goddess returning as the Maiden, usher in the spring!" (the girl enters the circle and passes out the flower wands to the girls, as the HP continues) "Hail Maiden, Hail, Spring, and welcome" Everyone raises their arms (and wands and lanterns) and shouts "Welcome!"

 

The boy and girl move around the circle with the HP, they raise their lantern/wand as the HP says, "Blessed be the East with Springtime's inspiration!, Blessed be the South with Springtime's joy!, Blessed be the West with Springtime's innocence, Blessed be the North with Springtime's fertility. So mote it be, the Maiden Goddess and Young God have spoken!"

 

Back at the alter with the boy and girl flanking the alter the HP faces the circle, "Now we feel no more of Winter's chill, and within our heart Spring stirs." The HP carefully carries the candle around the circle saying "We shall bring the hope of Spring into the world as the Gods have brought it to us."

 

The HP pours milk into the chalice, the girl gently blows across the top as the boy places a single flower in it, the HP sprinkles a tiny bit of salt into the chalice then passes the chalice over the candle.  The HP turns to the circle and says "Blessed by salt and blessed by sea, blessed by Goddess breath and Fires, this blossom brings Spring to us, and with the Spring milk inspires." The chalice is passed around the circle as everyone takes a tiny sip. The process is repeated with an oak cake. Once everyone has partaken the milk and cake, a drop of crumbs and smear of milk go on the Fire candle, the HP then says, "Gracious Goddess, in Your restoration of spring, Winter's pains are forgotten. Light are our steps, delighted our hearts. We thank You, Bride, for blessing us with Your spark of the Maiden's newness. We thank you God for gracing us with your light and warming our spirits. We have paid you honor in our circle, now we bid you hail and farewell!" Everyone again raises their arms and says "Farewell", the God & Goddess leaves the circle. The HP closes the circle.

 

Due to the amazing amounts of snow we've had in the North East this year (our usual is around 30 inches for the season, we've gotten about 90 inches so far!) we had to post-pone our group ritual to this coming Saturday. I'm so looking forward to it~!

Brightest Blessings, 

Shannon