Homeschool At Christmastime

Our small homeschool (one student, one mom/teacher/fellow learner) takes on a decidedly artsy-craftsy tone during the holidays.

We are doing a little history reading.  Bekah is reading Amos Fortune, Free Man.  Calico Bush is our read aloud.  She is keeping up with her math.  Other than that, well...like I said, artsy-craftsy.

Classical Music

We began The Story of Peter Tschaikowsky by Opal Wheeler. I started collecting Wheeler's composer biographies years ago when I discovered what treasures they are.  I found a few on eBay, one or two in a used book store, one at a library sale.  Wheeler's stories are engaging and you feel that you know the composer after you have read one of her tales.  Each book also includes several selections of simplified arrangements of that composer's works.  Recently, these books have been republished, meaning that one need not search far and wide any longer to find these treasures.  Truth be told, however, I am fond of my "old" books.

Back from the rabbit trail (~smile~)...

We may read more from the book...or (more likely) we may not get back to it until after the first of the year.  In the meantime, Bekah is learning "The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" with her piano teacher, we are listening to a CD of The Nutcracker, and we had the opportunity to see a performance of The Nutcracker ballet!

Christmas carols...oh yes!  Carols on piano, on CD, in the van.  Handel's Messiah, "The First Noel," "O, Holy Night," "Joy to the World!"  

Baking

Does baking count as art (and maybe a little math)?  I think it does, and we sure have a lot of that going on!  This week, we had our annual Cookie Baking Day (capital letter intended, Milne-style) with Kristin and the children.  We choose four kinds of cookies to bake, divided up the list of ingredients, and spent the day immersed in butter and flour and sugar and sprinkles.  And chocolate.  And screens.

Screens? you say.

Ummm...yes.  Wii, Netflix streaming, Angry Birds on the computer.  When all the adults in the house are busy baking, and there are three boys, aged 4, 6, and 10, you gotta do what you gotta do.  Most of the children made some contribution to the baking, however.  And some were in their glory!  We think that Bekah and Owen (6) just might open a bakery some day!  You never know...

Practical Arts

And the gift-making!  Arts and crafts here too.  There are lots of secrets, so I won't tell you about all the gifts being crafted these days, but my student has been busy!

Decorating?  Stringing and hanging the dried orange slices on the kitchen tree.  Having a free hand in decorating her own room. Making pomanders (a colonial craft).  Check.

Drama

Planning this year's nativity play?  That too.  (Scheduled for Sunday.  Maybe I'll give you a peek in Sunday Snapshots.)

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So you see, even though the science book is on the shelf and the Daily Gram book is closed, education continues!  

Fellow homeschoolers, what does education look like at your house during the holidays?