Charlotte Mason

Charlotte Mason homeschooling encompasses everything that is wonderful about homeschooling.  Gentle lessons in a literature-rich environment, short lessons that focus on real-life with plenty of opportunity to explore the world indoors and out.  And, these are just a few of the reasons I love this style of homeschooling!  In these articles, my goal is to share the wonder, joy and creativity of the Charlotte Mason style, while giving you plenty of ideas and practical advice for implementing it in your own home.  Enjoy!

The Thinker and Other Rodin Fun

We’ve had a fun month studying Rodin (despite my preference for paintings over sculpture.)  I’ve been rather slow posting our projects, so here are two weeks worth of projects. After studying The Hand of God and other hand sculptures, we completed 2-dimensional abstract hand drawings.  The kids simply traced their hands and used at least…

Rousseau’s Jungle Paintings

I am loving Henri Rousseau’s style.  It’s somewhat of a folk style with lots of bright colors.  Combine that with whimsical scenes and it makes me smile.  So many of the artists we’ve studied have been too serious for me, but the lighter side of Rousseau has revived my artist’s eye! Rousseau spent many days…

Paul Cezanne

Paul Cezanne Artist Study Resources Olga’s Gallery The Mount Sainte-Victoire Still-life with Apples House and Trees Boy in a Red Waistcoat Lesson Ideas Cezanne Still-life Math Lesson for Older Students Cubism Lesson Books We’ll Read

Toddler sit in dirt and writes in a nature journal

24 Must Read Toddler Books

Toddler Books Enjoyed by Eli The toddler years go by so quickly!  I love toddlers with their inquisitive minds that soak up information like sponges.  My biggest piece of advice for taking advantage of all that learning energy – read, read, read!  Living literature, of course – yes, it even matters in the earliest of…

Van Gogh Resources

Van Gogh Artist Study Resources Vincent Van Gogh Lesson Ideas Sunflowers Starry Night Almond Tree in Blossom Blossoming Almond Tree I chose the three paintings above for the purpose of learning to draw trees this spring as they begin to blossom. Books We Read Here’s the last art/nature project of the Van Gogh month.  After…

Van Gogh’s Sunflowers

After reading Camille and the Sunflowers, I had the kids try their hand at recreating Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” using an idea from Deep Space Sparkle. They turned out GREAT!! The directions in a nutshell: Use a pencil to draw a vase, table line and the flowers. Go over all or most pencil lines with a…

Renoir

Pierre August Renoir Artist Study Resources Picking Flowers Websites To Visit Biography for Kids Renoir Gallery *Warning: Preview these as Renoir painted many nudes! Books To Read We have LOVED Renoir!  In this week’s lesson, the children chose Renoir’s painting below (Oarsmen at Chatou) to try to replicate. Mahayla’s Caleb’s