A Gracefull Place

How about some Bible memorization?    I have tried many different ideas, but one that has worked the best is found at one of my favorite homeschooling sites, Simply Charlotte Mason!

 

Her Scripture Memory System is really easy to set up, and it works!  I confess we are bad about reviewing, but when we use this system, it works, AND it’s a great place to keep things all together rather than in multitudinous notebooks (now which purple notebook had last year’s Scripture memory in it?!).

 

We like to add hand motions to ours.   If you get stuck, ASL Browser  has a lot of words, with a mini-video demonstrating the sign.  You might have to use a different form of a word–maybe you need a noun and the ASL Browser only has the adjective.   Since we’re not trying to make sense to anyone, we just go with what’s there.  None of us really knows sign language, and a hearing-impaired person might really fall on the floor in shock or laughter at us, but it looks neat and helps little ones to remember key words! 

 

I started a post about homeschooling resources and it grew into a book!   Instead I thought maybe each week on Fabulous Family Friday I could share some homeschooling resources that I really like for a particular area.  That way it would just be a pamphlet!        I can also share what we do in that subject area, and if we have done some things without buying curriculum, I’ll share that, too!

 

 

Another great resource for Bible is Grapevine Studies.   We have the Old Testament Overview and really like it!   I don’t have the girls do all the word studies in the higher levels–they do some, but not all of them, because they do some in their own personal study.    We have also done the Birth of Jesus, and really liked it!   We did it right before Christmas a few years ago.   I sprang for the multi-level teacher and student edition, since I have learners at all the levels!!!

 

 

I am also attempting to do a study on the names of God.   I am using a variety of sources, kind of cobbling together my own thing!   I’m using a cute kids’ book called God, What’s Your Name? , a precept study by Kay Arthur.  I’ll be honest—I don’t do ALL of it with the girls!   I’ll read the story, maybe work through some of the activities, and read some of the Scriptures.   My goal is one name of God every two weeks.  

 

My purpose is to acquaint the girls with God’s names and what they mean.   I have my older girls come up with some Bible verses that depict that particular name, a character quality that goes along with it, a hymn….then write a little devotional and prayer to go with it.   There is no "right or wrong" answer–each girl may come up with something different!

 

I’m hoping to help the younger girls do some of this…..obviously I will be doing more of the work!   When we were in ATI, Karin Dent had shared Dinah Zike’s wonderful Big Book of Books one year.   I loved Minit-Booklets!   I think I overdid it with my older girls–they got to where they hated them!!!   We haven’t done them in a long time, but I think I am under control now and can be moderate….. *smile*

 

(It is available at Amazon.com as well as Dinah Zike’s website, but Cathy Duffy’s site in the link above had a review of it!)

 

I thought the little girls and I could make some "Minit-Booklets" with the key info on the names of God.  If we spring for it, I’ll post pictures!

 

I also would like to make a banner for each name—something simple either using felt or what we have on hand.  Again, I’ll post pics as we complete them!  

 

 

Our "Bible Time" consists of:

 

Prayer

 

Singing hymns–we pick one for the week, and we sing through the hymnbook (you find some good ones and some….interesting ones? that way!  We just sing one a day), and whoever has their laundry day picks a hymn.   That usually averages 4 hymns a day!    Don’t stress—it takes about 10 minutes max, and it teaches theology, poetry, hymnology, music appreciation….you get the idea!

 

I just started having Anna and Bekah copy the "Hymn of the Week" and look up any words they don’t know.  They copy a stanza a day.  

 

Then we pray again before reading Scripture.  We are currently reading a Psalm a day, and we share what stood out to us and/or what we are learning in our personal quiet times.  

 

After this we do our Scripture memory, then either Grapevine or Names of God.   Lately those have not been getting done, so I need to get us started earlier!!!

 

This averages about an hour.  Except when we get into some really good discussions!  Then Bible time takes over all of school!   And that’s okay!  

 

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Here is another good use for those recipe boxes/card files—and a great organizational tip from Donna Otto!!!

 

She shared about her "perfect boxes" in Get More Done in Less Time (Amazon has the updated version–title and cover a bit different!)…..well, I have "perfect Rubbermaid Tubs"–and a LOT of them!!!  We actually call it "Rubbermaid City" out in the shop where they reside!   Things were a mess, as far as which tub had what–sewing stuff, baby stuff, little girl stuff, shoes, my stuff…..so I used Donna’s idea for the card files.   The sewing/craft/etc. tubs have letters.  The clothing/shoe tubs have numbers.  That way when someone is out in Rubbermaid City looking at the skyscrapers, they can at least narrow the field a bit!  

 

 

In the file box, the numbered cards are first, lettered ones afterward.   Here are examples of how they’re listed:

 

1   Girls-

 Sleepers–newborn-6 mo.

 socks–  0-9 months

 blankets   2 heavy

                       1 thermal receiving

 

t-shirts– newborn

newborn hats                        crocheted slippers

bassinette pad and sheets

tights                                        bibs

diaper covers                         bonnets

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You’ll like this one!

 

 

15-  Girls’ clothes

   6 mo.–?

     and parts of dresses waiting for the

    matching pants!  

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

From the sewing/craft tubs:

 

G– Fabric–some for matching (all of us or ABC maybe N+I)  [if you

haven’t figured it out, those are the initials of the youngest 5!]

Gingham

Pink check floral and border

4th of July

Daisy (leftover from dresses we made)

Snowman (ABC)

Snowflake (blue and red)

Navy w/apples

07 Easter fabric is in S (as in tub S, not in Susannah!)

 

 

That way we have an idea, before we heft huge and heavy tubs inside, whether it’s even in the ballpark!  (Ask me how I know that that is not the most efficient way to do things!!!       Unless, of course, you want to count it as your weight training program……!)

 

 

This system works great–you write on the index card what is in the tub or box.    That way the tub or box number (or letter) can stay the same.   As your children get older and you don’t need tub #1 to keep baby t-shirts and blankets, etc., you can throw that card away and put a new one in its place.

 

 

I bought mainly tan tubs for the boys’ clothes, so that would make them easier to spot, too.   You have to understand, that we have "lettered" tubs from little a to little e and A through V, including anywhere from 2-4 tubs for each of the oldest four girls!!!!

 

The numbered tubs go from 1-42, and there are 9 "sub cards" for #25–which is our Christmas stuff!!!  (25A, 25B, 25C…..to 25I–that’s a capital {i}–so we are talking over 80 tubs!!!) 

 

 

As you can see, our card system is indispensible.    We do need to go through and weed things out again, especially since the youngest girl is now 9 years old!!!

 

 

This has been the best system for us!  I hope you find it helpful, too!

 

 

And just in case you think I am exaggerating when I say "Rubbermaid City"……

 

 

 

 

You can tell by how high these are stacked

that I have taallllll daughters!  (And yes,

I make them get them down for me, too!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No, the ladder doesn’t lead to another level of

Rubbermaid Tubs!!!    

(WHEW!)

 

 

 

 

So now you know why it’s important we have a system for navigation out there!!!!

 

 

I hope this week’s Fabulous Family Friday has been encouraging and helpful for you!   

 

Now, go get some index cards, a few filecard boxes, several Rubbermaid Tubs (or Sterlite or whateverite) and—

 

 

 

LET’S GET ORGANIZED!!!!

 

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