Posted by Cindy on January 16, 2009
In researching and making plans for our unit on the westward expansion, I was reminded about another important event in history that I couldn’t possibly leave out of our learning time – the Industrial Revolution, including the subject of child labor. My children were very much moved by the thought of children working so hard, especially when they found out that so many children around the world are still effected by this practice.
We found and read two living literature gems that I had to pass along.
Set in England rather than America, we found The Gate In The Wall
by Ellen Howard to be an excellent piece of living literature as well as giving us a clearer picture of the effects of child labor.
Set in 1830′s New England, The Bobbin Girl
by Emily Arnold McCulley is a superb picture book on the topic.
And not living literature, we found Kids at Work: Lewis Hine and the Crusade Against Child Labor
by Russell Freedman and Growing Up in Coal Country
by Susan Campbell Bartoletti at our local library. Both gave information and pictures that made the topic real to my children.
While reading, I found a coloring sheet in The Story of the World Activity Book Three: Early Modern Times to occupy busy hands and the back served as a nice place to notebook about child labor.
If you’re interested, Homeschool Share has a unit on The Bobbin Girl. Mr. Donn has several interesting links, too. And this site looked intriguing, although I haven’t used any of the activities yet.
Posted by Cindy on December 21, 2008
Great December Reading
Oh, and have you met God? Apparently Eli has! Every time he gets his busy little fingers on a Santa ornament he says, “God.” (Very reverently, I might add.) His innocent little eyes looking up at us with complete seriousness that he is holding God right in his chubby little hands. 
Posted by Cindy on November 21, 2008
We take part in a Book of the Month Club (which is actually a book every two months) that met last week to discuss The Invention of Hugo Cabret
by Brian Selznick. My children loved this book!
Mrs. Lisa had prepared some very fun activities to go along with the invention – drama – secrecy theme of the book.
Invisible ink messages.
Mask making.
Candy and toothpick inventions.
Next up – The Twenty-One Balloons PMC (Puffin Modern Classics)
by William Pene du Bois!
Posted by Cindy on April 13, 2008
Fill your children’s life with good literature and you’ll find the little ones doing their best to tag along, too.
Isn’t schooling in your pajamas once in a while one of the best parts of homeschooling?
Posted by Cindy on February 8, 2008
I don’t think I’ve required enough reading time this year. We listen to a ton of books on tape as we travel and read many books together that go along with our units. Mahayla also devours books on her own, but I don’t think I’ve been planning very well for making sure particular books are read. Good books, classic books, books that every child should read at some point or another.
As I’ve gone through lists like:
I’m happy to say that I’ve not done as badly as I suspected, but planning for the future is required. I need to be making sure that a wide variety of wonderful literature is assigned and not just hope that I’ll get around to it some day.
So, that’s a new goal I’m setting from here on out. I plan to print off the living literature lists and keep them in a file near my computer. As I do my online library book searches for our units, I want to
1.) be sure I’m choosing the best literature to go along with the units.
2.) be sure I’m slowly, but surely, checking off the lists.
I’m just now beginning to understand that I don’t have to be a part of every book read. Looking at the long lists of living literature could seem overwhelming if I thought I had to read them all aloud. Instead, I’ve started choosing one chapter book read-aloud, one chapter book for Mahayla to be working on by herself and some of the shorter living picture books for Caleb to read with me. I’m also going to try to knock out many of the books on the lists as books on tape. I believe books on tape are one of our favorite pasttimes. I couldn’t tell you the last time we’ve listened to K-Love in the car! We make up for that by playing the radio as we cook and clean, though. 
