Morning Time: Autumn 2013

When we are on our summer break from school, I wonder how in the world we have time for "formal" (gentlest use of that word) studies the rest of the year.  And yet, when we slide back into our school routine, it feels so right!

We are nearing the end of our second week of the school year, and all is well. Tea times and read alouds and trips to the library and piano lessons. Math lessons and stories of America and the wonder of the sun.

And morning time.

I continue to be amazed that such a simple plan and the investment of an hour or so (usually less) can add such richness and scope of learning to our school day.  These are things that could so easily slip through the cracks if I did not have "intention" about it, which is why I am so thrilled with the concept of Morning Time.

Homeschooling mom, if you want your students to memorize Scripture or view great art or read poetry or learn Shakespeare, consider taking those few minutes each day in your own Morning Time. (Yours can look entirely different from ours; you will include those things that you deem important.)

Our Morning Time currently looks something like this...

BIBLE READING
We are reading through the third chart of the Daily Bible Reading Plan for Children, found ~here~, which features Bible stories and truths that every child should know.  We often expand the reading portions for the day, but this provides a framework.

BIBLE MEMORY

We are continuing to memorize Romans 8.  Does that sound familiar? This is our third year to work on this passage, but we are sooooo close that neither of us wanted to stop!  We'll probably begin another  passage before the year is up.  

SING A HYMN
We are learning “More Love to Thee”, by Elizabeth Prentiss. Oh, the words! Sometimes Bekah plays this on the piano, but our Morning Time focus is to learn to sing and memorize the words, so more often we sing unaccompanied.  

POETRY RECITATION

Bekah:  “Something Told the Wild Geese” by Rachel Field
Mom:  "The Oak" by Alfred Tennyson  

POETRY EXPOSURE
We are reading aloud the poetry of Carl Sandburg.  We choose one of his poems, read it three days in a row, then move on to another. We're also reading Poetry for Young People: Carl Sandburg, slowly making our way through the biographical section.  In addition to his poetry, we'll read some of Sandburg's  Rootabaga Stories.

LISTEN TO A PIECE OF CLASSICAL MUSIC
This term we are listening to the music of Frederic Chopin. We are reading Frederic Chopin, Son of Poland, Early Years by Opal Wheeler, which we will follow by reading Frederic Chopin, Son of Poland, Later Years.  All of Chopin's compositions include piano, many are piano solos...great inspiration for my student/pianist.

ART APPRECIATION

Although our usual approach is to study the works of a single artist, we are beginning this term with an overview of  Impressionist art. We are reading the engaging children's book Charlotte in Giverny, from which we will go on to read Charlotte in Paris, and then Charlotte in New York. These books are written in journal fashion, filled with charming watercolor illustrations and period photographs,  as well as pictures of the works of Impressionist artists. Charlotte's father is an American artist who goes abroad to live in Monet's artist colony, so we are introduced to artists and their works through Charlotte's eyes.

Landscape With Poppies, 1887
William Blair Bruce

And that's our Morning Time plan for this term.  Small investment, great returns!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

For more reading about "Morning Time":

An introduction to our own "Morning Time" 
What Is Morning Time? by Cindy Rollins
Cindy's Inspiration for Morning Time
Kathy's "Morning Stack" 
Confessions Regarding Morning Time