Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival November 25, 2008

Welcome to the November 25th edition of the

Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival!

There are a lot of great entries to this edition of the carnival. I hope you take a few minutes to enjoy each entry.

General Charlotte Mason Homeschool

Tammy presents The Further We Go On Our Homeschool Journey ... posted at Adventures On Beck's Bounty. In this post she shares with us how much she admires and appreciates Charlotte Mason's approach to education and shares some of her favorite Miss Mason quotes.

Jamie in Rose Cottage presents A Happy Talent posted at Rose Cottage, saying this post is some of her thoughts on the importance of play.

Lisa in her post The Essential Difference between Public School and a Charlotte Mason education shares with us her observations about an important difference between a Chalotte Mason approach to education and public school, posted at Hopewell Takes On LIFE!.

Mama Squirrel shares with us her 2nd grader's exam response in her post, Exam response: Understood Betsy, posted at Dewey's Treehouse.

History

Jeanne Webb shares her family's Charlotte Mason approach to history in her post Our Book of Centuries on her blog A peaceful day.

Math

Shannon shares with us her experience both learning and teaching math in her post Why is math so difficult??? posted at Mountaineer Country.

Nature Study
Barb-Harmony Art Mom reminds us that nature study is not meant to be a drill in her post Nature Study is Not a Drill: How I Learn to Be Flexible posted at Handbook of Nature Study.

Amanda shares two free PDF calendars to download that she has designed to help with your nature study observations in her post Nature Study Observation Calendars posted at Hearts and Trees.

lindafay presents Autumn Nature Study 2008: Wonderful WEEDS posted at Higher Up and Further In. In this post she shares with us her family's approach to studying weeds this autumn.

Music, Art and Handicrafts
Barb-Harmony Art Mom shows us how she organizes her classical music CDs in her post Organizing My Classical Music With Colored Dots posted at Harmony Art Mom.

Cindy presents Embriodery Project posted at Our Journey Westward, saying "This was a super easy handicraft that turned out far better than I imagined. I'm hoping others might find it a good handicraft activity for the winter."

Resources & Reviews
Angi presents Q & A: Boxes & Writing posted at Peakmore Academy, saying, "Freewriting & copywork --easy, cheap, useful, and enjoyable!"

Makita presents Labyrinths & Mazes posted at Twinkling Stars Family School.

Nature Study Observation Calendars

Calendars: It's a great idea to have children keep a calendar to record when and where they saw the first oak leaf, the first tadpole, the first daily walks and nature hikes! A day won't go by when something isn't primrose, the first ripe blackberries. Then next year they can pull out the calendar and know when to anticipate seeing these things again, and they can note new discoveries. Imagine how this will add enthusiasm for seen to excite them.

From Charlotte Mason Volume One, page 54

I really like the idea of using a calendar to keep track of your nature observations for each month. It would be so much fun the next year to look back and see what you had observed each day and compare to the current year's observations. You could also include a small sketch on the calendar if you wish. It could also be motivating if you wanted to observe something in nature each day- as you would have a space to fill for each day. Even if you just recorded the weather or what you see out your window, that would be something for each day. I'd love to hear your ideas.
I have put together a free PDF calendars for this purpose. It is a completely blank calendar you can use for any month you wish.

Blank Nature Study Observations Calendar

I would love to see how you and your family use my calendars, so feel free to leave me links in the comments section or to email me. Enjoy.

Hearts and Trees Fall 2008 Kit

Introducing the

Hearts and Trees Fall 2008 Kit!

SOLD OUT!!! Thank you!!

Each kit includes the instructions and materials to complete easy and fun handicraft, art and nature study projects with a minimum of effort on your part. (Please note that you will need to provide common art supplies such as colored pencils, white school glue, a permanent black marker, etc.)

In this kit we have an embroidered leaf project. Using a leaf you find in your yard, your child will learn to make a basic back-stitch around the leaf shape. We were inspired by these embroidery projects. You can even use the provided embroidery hoop as a frame for your child's finished work!

Our art print for this kit is Cezanne's Still Life with a Curtain. There are also 2 notebooking pages to go along with this art print. One is about Paul Cezanne and the other is "What is a still life?"

Another handicraft project included in this kit is a simple macrame beaded bracelet. We have provided the red hemp, 6 black beads and easy to understand instructions to complete this fun project.

I have also designed a set of 6 Fall Poetry and Nature Journal Quotes Notebooking Pages. The first page includes 7 quotes and poems you can use throughout the notebooking pages or in your own nature journal. There are three variations of blank lined pages. You can use these pages to copy one of the poems or quotes from this page. For younger children you can lightly write in the poem or quote and have them trace over it. You can also use these notebooking pages to write facts about fall or about a fall nature walk.

Two of the blank lined pages have boxes where your child can draw a picture related to whatever he or she writes on the page. One blank lined page has a fall themed picture of an apple basket that can be colored in by your child. One page has 2 fall quotes and then lines underneath for your child to copy the quote. One page has the words FALL and HARVEST written along the side so you and your child can write your own acrostic poems. You are also welcome to copy these pages as needed for your personal use.

The materials and instructions are also provided for this vibrant tissue paper collage. Using Spectra Deluxe Bleeding Art Tissue and leaves you find in your own neighborhood, you will complete this collage.

Complete Contents List:

1. Cezanne art print: Still Life with Curtain
2. Paul Cezanne notebooking page
3. "What is a still life?" notebooking page with instructions to complete your own still life drawing
4. Materials to make an embroidered leaf project (embroidery hoop, leaf-colored embroidery thread and embroidery needle)
5. Instructions for embroidered leaf project
6. Materials to make a macrame beaded bracelet (hemp and 6 beads)
7. Materials for fall leaf tissue paper collage (4 colors of tissue paper and cardstock)
8. Instructions for fall leaf tissue paper collage
9. Set of Fall Poetry and Nature Journal Quotes notebooking pages (6 pages)

In all there are 7 notebooking pages, an art print with corresponding drawing project, 2 handicraft projects and 1 crafty art project included in this kit!

These kits were gathered with children ages 6-12 in mind. Parents may need to help their students, especially younger children, with some aspects of this kit.

To purchase a kit you will just need to make a PayPal payment to my account. You can do that using the "Pay Now" buttons in my sidebar. Just be sure to use the button for the right number of kits you would like to purchase.

The cost per kit is $11.95 plus shipping. Shipping for one kit will be $2.50 First Class. Shipping for two kits will be $3.50 First Class. Shipping for three kits will be $4.75 Priority. SOLD OUT!!! Thank you!!!

For information about purchasing more than three kits, please email me for shipping information. Shipping prices are for the US and Canada. (For information about shipping outside of the US and Canada, please email me.)

All kits will ship within the next two to three days after payment is received.

If you are interested in purchasing any of the PDFs I am currently selling (they are in my sidebar) and you wish to make a combined payment for multiple items, feel free to email me for a total.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me at amandachristina@yahoo.com.

Some Fall Crafty Links

Here are some more fall crafty links you might enjoy checking out:

Apple Stamp Bag: Here you use an apple as a stamp to decorate a tote bag.

Apple Candlesticks: Apples aren't just for eating. Here you can use them to make interesting table decoration.

Cornhusk Dolls: I used to love to make these.

Yarn "Painting" Leaves: I love the look of these. A nice way to use colorful fall-colored yarn.

Indian Corn Napkin Rings: I love these. These would be perfect addition to your fall dinner table.

That's it for now. Be sure to check back soon. I have some posts lined up with some crafty ideas using gourds as well as some interesting ways to use leaves and some easy fall recipes you can mix up with your children. Hope you are all having a great week.

**If you haven't already purchased your Hearts and Trees Fall 2008 Kit, I am nearing the end of my supplies, so be sure to get yours soon!! I still have quite a few left, but once they are gone they're gone. :)

Fall Kits Shipped and Origami Leaf

So all the Hearts and Trees Fall 2008 kits that were pre-ordered were shipped yesterday. I am looking forward to seeing all the projects you and your children complete using my kit! I still have plenty more kits available, so if you haven't already purchased a kit you can still do so. If you purchase a kit now, your kit will ship one to three days after I receive your PayPal payment. If you have any questions, feel free to email me.

I also wanted to share with you what looks like a really fun fall origami project: Maple Leaf Origami. I was thinking this would be fun to do if you used paper you had watercolored with fall leaf colors (reds, oranges, yellows, browns, etc.). You could also make a centerpiece, garland or wreath if you made a whole bunch of them.

It sure is starting to feel like fall here. Wherever you are and whatever the weather, I hope you have a nice weekend. I'll be back on Monday with some more fall themed art ideas.

Macrame Basic Knot Video Tutorial

Here is a video tutorial for the macrame basic knot that is used to make the macrame beaded bracelet in the Hearts and Trees Fall 2008 Kit. (Thanks to my mom for making the video for us!)



I would love to see any bracelets you complete using this tutorial. Feel free to email me photos or leave links in the comments section. Thanks!

Fall Picture Study With Warm Colors

Here is an easy picture study you can do focusing on the painting The Mulberry Tree by Van Gogh and discussing warm colors. First you can start with a discussion with your children about warm colors using the facts below. Encourage them to look for warm colors around them (there are lots of places we can find warm colors during the fall season). Then you can help them find the warm colors in the art print in the post. I have also included a few follow up activities that you can complete if you wish.

Here are some facts and questions about warm colors:

• Warm colors usually remind us of fire or the sun.
• What colors are fire and the sun?
• Red, orange and yellow are warm colors.
• Can you find any warm colors around your house?
• Where do we see warm colors in nature?

What warm colors can we see in Van Gogh’s painting Mulberry Tree?

Some other questions you could ask about this painting:

• What sort of brushstrokes did Van Gogh use?
• Does this painting look like a real tree to you? Why or why not?
• What time of year do you think it is in this painting?
• Do you like this painting? Why or why not?
• What would you do if you were in this painting?

Here are some activities you can do using your knowledge of warm colors:

• Draw a fall picture using only warm colors on a separate sheet of paper.
• Find all of the warm color crayons in your box.
• Go on a warm color nature walk- look for warm colors wherever you go.

***If you are interested in adding more art, nature study and handicrafts to your homeschool, be sure to check out the Hearts and Trees Fall 2008 Kit- in all there are 7 notebooking pages, an art print with corresponding drawing project, 2 handicraft projects and 1 crafty art project included in this kit!

A few fun art ideas

So every time I have come across a fun art project on the Internet the past few months I have bookmarked it. I am getting quite a collection, so today I thought I would share a few with you. The last two are perfect for the new season- autumn.

*Glue and Pastel Landscape: Using black construction paper, school glue and pastels (or she says you can use chalk) you make a sort of stained glass looking piece of art. I love working on black paper anyway with pastels, but this looks especially fun.

*Watercolor Crayon Resist Leaf: This is an interesting take on a crayon resist using corregated cardboard to make an interesting texture.

*Contour Fall Leaves: I love the energy of this project.

I hope you have fun with these projects. Feel free to leave any links to completed projects or links to your favorite art ideas in the comments section. Look for more art ideas here in the future!

Coming Soon.... Hearts and Trees Fall 2008 Kit

This is just to let you all know that I will be beginning a two week pre-ordering period for my Fall 2008 Kit on September 18, 2008. I am really excited about this kit. It is going to include a great embroidery handicraft, an exciting watercoloring with tissue paper craft, a Cezanne art print and many other ideas and projects to help you add more art, nature study and handicrafts to your homeschool.

Be sure to check back here often for updates, or SUBSCRIBE to my blog so that you will be sure to know as soon as I am accepting orders.

I still have a few summer kits available, so if you are interested in purchasing one (or two or three), you might want to do so now, because once I begin selling fall kits they will no longer be offered.

The Habit of Imagining

Imagination doesn't come down from above fully developed, and plant itself into a mature mind like a man moving into an empty house. Like any other function of the mind, it starts as the merest seed of a power. It grows according to what nourishment it gets. Childhood, the age of wonder and faith, is its window of opportunity to grow. Children should know the delight of living in faraway lands, of being someone else living in a different time, a wonderful double life.

Charlotte Mason in Modern English Page 153

How can we introduce our children to faraway lands and people from different times, to those ideas that can encourage the habit of imagining? One way to do this is through art. Art can help your history lessons come to life, and give children a starting place for their own imaginations.

For example, if you and your children are studying ancient Japan, you can encourage your children's imagination by first of all sharing descriptions of what it would have been like to live in and experience that time and culture. Then you could share artwork depicting what that time was like. Ask them to describe to you what they see. What is happening? What would they do if they were in the painting? Encourage them to put themselves in the painting-- in the time and place you are studying.

Use art to encourage the habit of imagining.

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By encouraging the habit of imagining in your children, you will help them to learn and remember lessons. History can come to life if you encourage your children to put themselves in the places you are reading about in your history lessons and imagine what they would hear, smell, taste and feel if they were there. You can use art as a stepping stone to help your children begin to "see" what ancient cultures and peoples were like. If you let them explore these places in their mind, they are far more likely to remember the lessons you are attempting to share with them about those places and people.