Tapestry of Grace

Quick Lesson Planning With Tapestry of Grace

March 11, 2013 by LoraLynn

Oh, it has been a Monday.

We’ve had birthdays galore, some of the kids are sick, and daylight savings time is Just Plain Mean. Because I made two, count ‘em TWO, birthday cakes this weekend, I didn’t get my school planning done and had to pull it together in a pinch this morning.

I’ve been getting a lot of questions lately about how difficult the prep is for elementary level kids when using Tapestry of Grace. Even if that’s not your curriculum of choice, you might like the software I use, so don’t look away.

Just to prove how quick and easy it can be, I threw together this decidedly low-budget movie (using Montaj) while I was planning. Before you watch, here are some key things you need to know about how we do Tapestry:

1- My goal is always independent learning. So my upper grammar students are on their own for much of the week, freeing me up to teach my youngers who can’t read. I begin training them for this from day one so that they’re ready to handle it by the time they can read really well.

2 – This year, I started buying all the books for the unit rather than piecing them together through used books and the library. Andrew asked me to do this when the library fees got out of hand. If you break it up and do it unit by unit, Bookshelf Central usually runs a sale right before you need the books. It’s cheaper than Amazon and is always up to date with the current booklist which is HUGE. This makes weekend planning much less stressful because I KNOW where all my books are. TOG books are worth keeping and my kids enjoy re-reading them. Plus, I’ll use them for many years to come. It’s a worthwhile investment for us.

3- I rarely have time to read the teacher’s notes before the week begins. I use the General Information sheet to launch us into the week and I keep the answer keys to the kids’ tests on my clipboard for me to study to know what the highlights are so I can help them learn the important stuff. I’m telling myself I’ll have time to read the teacher’s notes when everyone is wiping their own butts around here.

This video shows you how I compile the weekly packets for my Upper Grammar students and how I create my own clipboard to teach from. I use the digital version of Tapestry and Olly software to make the boys’ assignments look pretty.

It cuts off at the end but what I was trying to say is that by having a designated spot for the week’s books, we (usually) avoid losing them before Friday. USUALLY. Ahem.

Will be back soon with enough birthday cake pictures to give your little eyeballs a sugar buzz…

Filed Under: Homeschooling, Tapestry of Grace
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Mama’s Brag Book

July 19, 2012 by LoraLynn

Indulge me a little bragging, please?

Baby’s First Toy

Finn is at the stage now where he reaches for things with his chubby little paws. Usually my hair, my necklace, Andrew’s nose, or the bird on his bouncy seat. I pulled out a new toy for him (he gets a brand new toy, even though I still have some from when the twins were babies) and he has fallen in love with the rattle sound. Plus, anything he can put in his mouth is a win-win for him. He holds it in his hands and wrestles it like a bear cub until he tosses it out of reach and then fusses at it until it returns to his grasp.

It’s fun the first forty times.

Boys’ First French

Don’t laugh, we’re not getting so pretentious that we’re teaching our third graders French or anything. We’re studying Napoleon and their school assignment included learning five words of French. Andrew, fortunately, speaks French and gave them each a set of words. Otherwise, they would have been stuck with my limited knowledge, which included phrases like “Ooh la la” and the French chef’s song from Little Mermaid.

They took their words and used them to write a paragraph about Napoleon. Ian even showed off a little and wrote his paragraph in cursive. Sacre bleu!

Finn’s Happy Stretch

See that crooked content grin on his face and his arms flung over his head? I managed to capture him doing the Full-Tummy Stretch of Happiness right after a meal. He’s done it since he was wee tiny, even in his sleep. That’s how I know I’ve got him good and satiated, when he stretches. It’s adorable. I hope he does it forever.

And finally, I managed to capture a giggle or two on video. In between screams, which is his new favorite skill to practice – loud squealing.

So – Gimme a brag from your week. What about your people makes you proud?

Filed Under: Family Pictures, Homeschooling, Tapestry of Grace
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Some Things

May 9, 2012 by LoraLynn

I have much with which to acquaint you…

1. I’m over at Simple Homeschool today explaining how I handle the myriad of choices available in a curriculum like Tapestry of Grace or Five in a Row. Hint: You gotta pretend it’s a buffet, people.

Only it’s a buffet without pudding, which is disappointing.

1.5. I am ridiculously proud to part of the Simple Living Media team and highly recommend any and all of their channels. My friend Ari recently launched the sixth channel, Simple Design, and it’s super cute. Totally out of my league, but really fun to look at. Also, Simple Kids is a great resource for ideas for the upcoming summer months. And I’ve currently got this collection of puns and jokes bookmarked for when I wish to be “fun mom.” These websites do not disappoint. Go therefore and bookmark…

2. I wish to get to know you. Hence, Vitafamiliae has a facebook page now. I’m trying to post over there when I can and you people have already come in handy when I’ve had a question like “How do I get sand out of this child’s hair????”

Also, during the early morning feedings, Finn and I have lots of prayer time. Post a prayer request on the wall and we’ve got your covered, mkay?

3. We finally bit the bullet and got a membership at the local science museum. I swallowed my fear of all the germs, armed myself with Purell, and off we went. (Gran and Pops went with me, since I am still currently one-handed.) We made it out with all seven kids still in tow and so far, no one has sprouted a tail or developed a rash, so we may even go back again!

Also, I think I’m growing as a person because this is the only picture I took all afternoon. It’s like I totally forgot I had a blog!

4. This. Just this.

So, what are your big plans for the summer months? How do you plan on entertaining your people???

p.s. Don’t forget you can buy your Tapestry or All About Spelling curriculum through the links on my site and contribute to more giveaways on the blog. And maybe a mocha for me. We all win!~

Filed Under: Homeschooling, Random, Tapestry of Grace
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How We School While I’m Bed Resting

January 18, 2012 by LoraLynn

Because we want to have lots of time to adjust to Finn once he arrives, we made the choice that I would expend my few hours of energy and lung capacity during bed rest on school.

I had lovely visions of snuggling with my kids under the covers of our big master bed and reading and writing peacefully together.

Silly me.

Have you ever seen young boys on a big soft bed? They turn into puppies. Wiggly, writhing puppies.

With all the medicine I’m on, I’ve needed my bed to be my “safe place” where I can rest my belly and my nerves. Allowing the masses into my “cone of safety” wasn’t going to work. So I moved my visions of snuggling to the couch in the living room.

I wrote about how we’ve achieved school while on bed rest over at Simple Homeschool today. (Go say hi!)

With this method, we’ve managed to tuck another unit of Tapestry of Grace under our belt. And I was pleasantly surprised to discover that, by God’s grace, the boys absorbed all of the material we set out to learn.

We didn’t get to do a fun unit party this time around, but I made the boys a video of their writing project for the unit and promised I’d share it on this mysterious thing I call a blog.

Their assignment was to pick two books and write “ads” to try and convince others to read their books. Ian’s summary of Shakespeare in his rough draft was impressive, I thought. Very succinct. He (obviously) didn’t learn that from me.

Stick with the video to the end to hear his even shorter (but accurate) description of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

p.s. Shameless affiliate links included.

Filed Under: Bed Rest Chronicles, Homeschooling, Pregnancy, Tapestry of Grace
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In Which We Perform Feats of Strength

August 19, 2011 by LoraLynn

Handy Hint: DeeDee is having a Curriculum Round-up. Go check it out if you still need some inspiration for getting started this year.

Here’s our Knight Cake.

Here’s the Medieval Costuming.

It was Andrew’s idea to do games of “feats of strength” for our little knights. He did all the prep work, too, so I totally lucked out in this department. First, the kids jousted.

Now, I admit, this was a terrifying prospect, to arm them with long PVC pipe and encourage running. But they were only aiming for a small styrofoam ring, not for another person’s innards.

And they did it with such gusto.

And glee.

I would rather not discuss my son’s decision to wear his socks outside. It only makes me crazy. And I don’t need help in that department.

After they had jousted and nobody was wounded, a good boulder toss was in order.

Andrew made the “rocks” out of newspaper and duct tape. (See? The entire party was held together by duct tape. I kid you not.) The kids caught them in a blanket, effectively defending their land from the potential divots caused by rocks of unusual size.

And once the games were over, there was always Ye Old Trampoline to entertain the young squires.

It is with great joy that I report to you know that no children were harmed in the making of these photos. The neighbors will have to keep placing their bets for the next trampoline induced injury…

Filed Under: Family Pictures, Homeschooling, Tapestry of Grace
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Costuming, Or Lack Thereof

August 17, 2011 by LoraLynn

Moving on to the costuming portion of our medieval feast/knight party. Here we are, in all of our ridiculous glory:

A sweet friend sewed the chain mail hoods and wraps for the arms and legs. I made the helmets for the boys out of pizza boxes and duct tape. And managed to slice my finger in the process.

I tried to model the hat for you. My hair was too big.

Meanwhile, Mira, who didn’t have a costume, bless her, managed to get ahold of other folks’ accessories and look pretty medieval.

Also, she looked better in my hat than I did.

Ellen and Willa were princesses. They decorated their hats with stickers that included stars, circles, and guitars, which I’m sure they intended to be medieval lutes.

Right, Willa?

Andrew was my hero, as always. He didn’t complain one bit that his wife hates to sew and could only contrive to make him kingly with a cut-up duvet cover, some fake fur pinned to his “collar” with safety pins, and a posterboard crown. He wore his outfit bravely for most of the evening, no matter how much his buddies ribbed him. I adore this man.

He also carved up the chickens, which is not only heroic, but makes him extra hunky in my book.

p.s. Thanks to all the lovely young ladies who supplied these pictures. I would not dare take credit for such non-blurry, zoomed-in pictures.

p.p.s. Thanks to my sister who loaned me her fancy dress. I’m so glad somebody in the family got the sewing genes.

Filed Under: Family Pictures, Homeschooling, Me vs. The Chickens, My Hair Is The Real Star, Tapestry of Grace
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These Are The Floors Of Our Lives

August 3, 2011 by LoraLynn

We’re finishing up our first unit of Tapestry around here. For nearly 10 weeks, we’ve been immersed in Vikings, knights, castles, and all things medieval. Next week, we’ll have a medieval feast which will, conveniently, also be Adam’s knight birthday party.

So sometime between now and next Friday, I’ve got to create 3 knight costumes, 2 princess outfits, swords, shields, a medieval feast, and a castle cake.

Hold me.

This would explain why my Pinterest boards are covered with suits of armor made out of paper bags and milk jugs.

Meanwhile, this is the view around the house. Castle books, cardboard swords, and the random Viking longhouse.

Sam made me a detailed drawing of his plans for the party. Apparently, he wants me to provide our guests with costume options like coats of arms, feathers, choice of weaponry…

I hope our guests like to fight with rolled up newspaper and milk jugs.

Welcome to the floors of homeschooling, people. They aren’t clean. But they are creative.

Meanwhile, here’s one of my favorite things to find on the floor:

I just spent the last 15 minutes wrestling Ellen’s shoes on and off her feet. She had three she wanted to wear and I couldn’t make her understand the major mathematical issue she was facing. So we rotated them again and again and again.

She’s tenacious, but she’s cute.

That’s the best sort of floor decoration, don’t you think?

Filed Under: Family Pictures, Homeschooling, Tapestry of Grace
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Carnage

July 12, 2011 by LoraLynn

This was the scene at my house today:

I gave the boys a book of knight and castle related crafts and cut ‘em loose with posterboard and scissors. I offered very little assistance, if any. Instead, I spent the day slipping on their posterboard and making sure nobody stabbed themselves with the scissors. Oh, and pulling Mira out of the toilet, the toilet brush out of her mouth, and fighting her for the plunger… twice. I think she’s gonna be a plumber.

It was a high-octane sort of day.

The end result was several swords, daggers, and a shield. Oh, and Ellen made a flag.j

If that isn’t an argument for the difference between girls and boys, then maybe THIS will convince you.

The boys’ posing quickly devolved into a real fight at poster-point while Ellen looked on in bewildered amusement.

On the other hand, that is sort of what Mira and I looked like when we did battle over the plunger…

Filed Under: Family Pictures, Homeschooling, Tapestry of Grace
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I Have A Plan, Stan

May 20, 2011 by LoraLynn

I don’t know who Stan is, but he seems to care.

I’m in the throes of planning for our next school year, which will start next month. I wrote about my love of Google calendar for planning last year at Simple Homeschool. It is still my BFF for all things calendar-y (unless, of course, I put the wrong date in, and then I blame user-stupidity).

Today at SH, I’m talking about our curriculum choices for this upcoming year. There’s a fantastic Curriculum Fair series going on over there that I’ve really enjoyed taking in. Lots of different types of schooling with lots of interesting options. Definitely poke around if you’re in need of curriculum inspiration.

It will come as no surprise that we’re sticking with Tapestry of Grace this year. This time, I bought the digital version. My one complaint has been the clicking back and forth between my calendar screen and the DE screen. Today I discovered CalenGoo that I put on the iPad and my iPhone. Now I can sit with the digital curriculum up on my laptop screen and put the actual lesson plan in CalenGoo on the iPad.

It’s a game-changer, people.

CalenGoo even works when I don’t have an internet connection (based on previous syncs), so this just might make up for my issue with using iCal and Google calendar and not being able to sync them.

And if all of that sounds like “Google, blah blah blah, iPad, blah blah blah, digital, blah blah blah, something else geeky” to you, I’m not offended at all. Just go say hi over at Simple Homeschool, okay?

And say hello to Stan if you see him.

*top-secret affiliate linky things included. Don’t hate me.

Filed Under: Homeschooling, Random, Tapestry of Grace
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A History Lesson From Sam

March 28, 2011 by LoraLynn

We’ve managed to keep some semblance of school going, in fits and starts, despite my Long Winter’s Nap. I mean, I think the kids were pretty much on their own that week that Andrew was being Superman, but once Gran arrived, I know they accomplished a bit of math and handwriting. I have continued the struggle of maintaining a routine with children who have been in transition.

It helps that we’re basically done with Tapestry of Grace for the year. (Starting in June? My best idea ever.) So I don’t have that kind of pressure on me. But Sam is the kind of kid who really needs to do math even on weekends, otherwise, he forgets who he is and what a five looks like. So we press on…

Today, however, was a different challenge. The boys do their part with the chores around here, but I’ve noticed the rate at which things get done has slowed down. What should have taken thirty minutes, forty-five tops, was taking an hour and a half, two hours. Unacceptable.

So this morning, I put on my sweetest voice and announced the boys would not be getting their thirty minutes of educational TV today. Instead, they would finish their chores and then do nothing but schoolwork. EXTRA schoolwork. Which meant they would do their regular assignments after lunch, as is the usual routine.

I hit a nerve, people.

The problem is, it backfired. They had the nerve to ENJOY THEMSELVES.

To round off our Tapestry studies and to give us cuddle time each morning, I’m reading through some of the books that we didn’t get a chance to read. I handed a book about Pompeii to Ian and told him to read it to his brothers in their room while the girls got to enjoy a little TV time. When they emerged, I handed them a stack of math worksheets and told the twins they had to write four sentences describing the book they read. Adam drew me a picture. He narrated it as he drew, which I found adorable, but distracting.

This is Sam’s phonetically spelled book report. It fills me up with warm fuzzies.

It says, “Pompeii was a villej bie a vokanoe. Nowon noo the vokanoe was gowing to earupt. The peepol wur gowing to bee barreed. Uoe noe this is not gud noos!”

In case you can’t translate: ”Pompeii was a village by a volcano. No one knew the volcano was going to erupt. The people were going to be buried. Oh no, this is not news!”

My problem is, by the time he was done, he was so energized by his story and his drawing and OH JOY a PROJECT!!! that he totally forgot he was being punished. So did the other two boys.

And I am secretly glad. I’m glad they like the learning and the re-telling. I’m glad they like the drawing, even that they like the arts and crafts. (I’m not saying I enjoy the arts and crafts, but it’s always fun to see your kid pick up a skill or two.) I love that they get excited when I pull a new school book off the shelf to read. (They aren’t allowed to read those until I hand them out. Otherwise, Ian, my voracious reader, would have nothing in life to live for.)

I think it means we’ve accomplished our goal for this year, which was to teach them how to learn. I’d say we are well on our way to liking the learning. Now we just have to work on their spelling…

*Affiliate link included. But rest assured, my opinions and my adventures are all my own!

Filed Under: Homeschooling, Tapestry of Grace
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Quick Lesson Planning With Tapestry of Grace

Mama’s Brag Book

Some Things

How We School While I’m Bed Resting

In Which We Perform Feats of Strength

Costuming, Or Lack Thereof

These Are The Floors Of Our Lives

Carnage

I Have A Plan, Stan

A History Lesson From Sam

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