What *I* Am Reading...

I know I said I probably wouldn't be on here much until after the New Year, but with the house still clean, homeschooling still on a break, my vacation, and no imminent celebrations (New Year's will be very low key), I find I have time after all!

I am really enjoying some time free from assigned reading, and thought I would share what I have piled on the bedside table at the moment...

 This is proving to be an awesome book! I love the ideas of a question board (literally a white/other board that students can add questions to), and discovery boxes, as well as plenty of outdoor time, to stimulate scientific thinking. I love that the author allows for the idea of both child and teacher led studies, in that the teacher may choose the subject(s) and then provides materials, which the kids then use on their own to explore science. I highly recommend this book to anyone who doesn't do well with totally scripted science lessons (like me).

I am definitely planning on trying this out for January. I'm making a very simple list of topics generally covered in 3rd-6th grades, and then will choose a few, make some discovery boxes up, get a few topical books for whichever one we choose to do first, and move forward from there. I am tentatively thinking about one afternoon a week for the bulk of the discovery box work, and one afternoon a week for outdoor work. Of course, the kids will be free to use the discovery box and question board outside that time as well! As far as stocking the discovery boxes, this free pdf from the Lawrence Hall of Science is a fantastic resource!

I am also re-reading The Writer's Jungle... another amazing book. I think I am slowly building up the courage to let go of writing "programs", although I am going to have The Boy try this out, and The Girl will be trying The Arrow: Fairy Tales, which is only available by request since it has been folded into another program from Brave Writer author Julie Bogart. I'm reading all of the Brave Writer Lifestyle articles as well. I'm planning on integrating poetry and copywork - The Boy loves Shel Silverstein, and I picked up Flower Fairies of the Winter at the library for The Girl.


Of course, I also have some "fun" reading on hand, though I haven't decided which of the following books to read first!

 

and

I'll probably just flip through them and see which appeals most at the moment! I don't head back to school myself until mid January, so that gives me a little more time to just relax and enjoy.

Hope you're all having a pleasant end-of-year!