Tasting Parties and Language Arts

Tasting parties are a fun way to expand a child's food experiences and to reinforce verbal skills. They also assist the child in developing problem-solving skills. To conduct a tasting party, the parent-teacher selects a variety of foods, both familiar and new. Care should be taken to select foods that have varying qualities and flavors. Variety is key! Generally, it is best to stick to sliced, whole foods rather than mixtures and blends. To participate, the child is blind-folded and then given a food to taste. From their bite of food, they guess what it is and then use as many ADJECTIVES as they can to describe it. Have them describe flavors and textures. It is fun for them to rate each food on a scale of 1 - 10. The teacher-parent can place the items in order (or make a list) so that the child can see and evaluate how they rated the food tasted after the tasting party. They might be surprised which food(s) they liked best! 

Here are words that the teacher-parent can use to guide the child with their descriptions:

• Flavor:  tart, bitter, spicy, bland, sweet, salty, mild, tangy, blend, mellow, sour
• Texture:  mealy, smooth, tender, crisp, rough, wet, stiff, hard, lumpy, tough, stringy, dry, compressed, mushy, soft, creamy, firm, crunchy, moist, granular, sticky
• Mixtures:  batter, dough, sauce, gel

Teaching Reading

It is vitally important that children be taught to read, and to read well.  There is shocking evidence that 60 million individuals in the United States, or one-third of the entire population, cannot read.  This high rate of illiteracy prevents individuals from reaching their full potential in life and in the job market.  It is a frightening reality, especially for parents of school-age children.  As a home educator, the teacher-parent may find that teaching reading is one of the most daunting tasks that takes place in a homeschool.  It takes time to give children the building blocks necessary to teach them to read.  For most children the ability to read does not happen overnight, but rather is a process that takes place in stages as they are offered tools for learning and time to internalize and apply what they have learned.  This ability is the foundation of all future learning.  It is possible that children can read and read extremely well! 

It becomes the responsibility of the parent to teach their children to read. Some key elements in teaching reading are:

• Talk to the child a lot from birth and as they develop and grow. This provides the foundation of linguistic information. By listening, a child absorbs the language, accent, and grammar of those who surround him.
• Preparation for reading starts at a very young age. Sensory stimulation is important. Whether it be in the form of a red, black, and white mobile that hangs over a child's crib, or something as simple as turning a light off and on to stimulate the pupillary reflex, activities that encourage development assist in developing overall intelligence and ability. Geometric shapes and the contrast of black and white are some of the first visual items that an infant recognizes. Studies also show that crawling is very important for babies. An infant should be allowed to be on his stomach, on the floor, as much as possible. Crawling helps a child develop neurologically, and it is instrumental in the development of visual pathways to the brain. As children grow, other forms of physical activity, like swinging, climbing, bouncing, jumping, rolling, and gymnastics also assist in neurological development. The development of gross motor skills is vital for youngsters. Strong neural pathways assist the child in becoming a good reader.
• Make sure that words are visible to children of all ages. Small words on a book are not always easy for a developing youngster, so care should be taken to provide opportunity for children to see words in large print and in bright colors. Expose children to written words in their daily life at an early age, just as as you surround them with verbal information. Point out signs, words on cereal boxes, notes on the fridge, and so on. Make them aware that words exist and that they are a valuable part of life.
• Read to your child, starting from infancy. Books can be either commercial or those that you write yourself (large, colorful words). Make reading a daily routine. This establishes value and importance on the task.  This example teaches your child what books are for. Read to them with enthusiasm, changing your voice to express the personality of each character in the book. Use your finger to underline the words as you read out loud, as this teaches the child that words flow in a certain pattern, going from left to right, and from top to bottom of the page. Read frequently and for as long as you keep a child's attention. Reading is one of the foundations of an intelligent individual. Reading to your child is a key component in creating a good reader.
• Tie together the importance of sounds (language) and reading (words) by teaching children phonics.  Instead of teaching the alphabet, skip that task and instead teach the child the letter sounds. You can go with the same sequence of A,B,C. But, instead of saying the name of the letters, model the sounds of the words instead.  If a letter has more than one sound, give them both in sequence. For example, say the sound for soft-sound A then long-sound A, then the sound for the letter B, and sound for soft-sound C and then long-sound C.  Continue through the alphabet. This is an activity that can be set to the music of a favorite song and it should be a routine that is established daily and from a young age. As children grow and you prepare them for more formal reading, the phonetic foundation will have been established. After the alphabet sounds are learned, move on to the more advanced phonograms and teach them with their phonics rules.
• Encourage initial reading experiences using books that are phonetically based and have been written so that the child recognizes the phonograms learned. A phonics reading program such as this free, online reading resource helps the child flow naturally into putting sounds together into words, sentences, and paragraphs. Reading becomes a natural process with this approach.
• Give the child opportunities each day to read out loud to you! Short periods of time throughout the day will be more productive than one longer period of time. For the best in productive learning, always quit the activity before your child is ready to quit! Diminished interest on the child's part is never productive. The key to a pleasurable reading experience is to keep the child motivated and eager. Taking turns with the parent in reading a story is a great way to teach a child to read.
• Pace the learning experience according to your child's needs. If a child was interested in learning, and then you see a diminished interest, it is a cue that the child is experiencing boredom and that it is time to quicken the pace and teach him new concepts. Boredom can indicate that the child already knows the information.  But be aware that there are other reasons for boredom, making it clear that you need to keep in-tune with your child and their needs. Boredom can also result when a child doesn't understand the information being presented. It can also mean that your child sees no useful application for the information being taught. Thus, it is important to clarify concepts as you go along and to help the child see their importance and how it applies to daily life. Interest in a subject goes a long way in helping a child focus their attention.
• Remember that all words a child is being taught to read should have meaning to him. If a child doesn't know that Istanbul is the name of a city in Turkey, it will have no meaning to him. Explain the meaning of words they may not understand. Make reading meaningful. Start out with familiar words and move on from their. Words don't have to be simple to be meaningful and read at an early age. If the child has a dog named Liberated, that becomes a good reading word even though it is not generally a word the beginning reader uses, because the child can associate the word with something that is meaningful to him. Introduce new words at a pace that prevents boredom but that does not overwhelm.
• Games and drills can be fun for a child learning to read! Phonogram flashcards can be laid flat on a counter top with pennies, nickles, quarters, and dimes underneath. Take turns with the child in selecting a card and verbalizing the sound of the letter or letters being presented. If the sound given is correct, the child gets to keep the coin below the card.  See who can collect the most money (teacher-parent, child, or sibling).  If you don't want to use actual money, school tokens could be made instead. Other games like Go-Fish, flashcard games, or pocket games can all be used in teaching phonics and/or sight-see words.  Reading game ideas can be found online if you have trouble coming up with ideas on your own.
• Practice, practice, practice. Reading aloud to your child is as important as having your child read back to you. Read throughout the day, not just from books but from signs, packages, posters, and more. Make reading fun for both you and your child. Make reading a delight! Not only will you be creating happy memories with your child, but you will be establishing a foundation of learning that will serve your child well for years to come.

God as Your School Teacher

Christians look to the creation of Adam and Eve as an example of individuals made in the image of God.  Their garden home and how they lived in it are a model to the human race.  Adam and Eve were students of the Creator of the universe.  The garden of Eden was their classroom and nature was their textbook.  Can you fathom how amazing it would be to have God as your school teacher?  What an opportunity!  The one who created everything and who had all knowledge taught to His creation the secrets of the universe.  Chemistry, physics, mathematics, astronomy, engineering, biology, art design, history of the universe, music, philosophy, language, are only a sampling of subjects that Adam and Eve studied in their communion with God as their teacher.  

As we observe the life of Adam and Eve before sin entered the world, we discover that God commissioned  Adam and Eve to take care of the garden [Genesis 2:15].  Although they lived in a sinless, perfect world, they were not left to languish in a field of flowers!  They were given the assignment of learning the secrets of the universe [study].  Useful employment was given to them, as they were to take care of the garden [work].  God’s love reflected upon their hearts as they cared for one another in perfect love [service to others].  

God designed the lessons He taught them in their Eden home to teach them completely, encompassing their intellect, physical strength, and spirit in communion with Him and with one another.  The garden of Eden represented all that God desired for mankind.  The desire of His heart was that Adam and Eve would have children, grandchildren, and future descendants that would establish homes and schools just like the one He modeled for them, and that they would reflect the knowledge of His glory.  The first school was of the God of creation.

Counts & Counted

Not everything that
can be counted counts,
and not everything that
counts can be counted.

Albert Einstein

Flubber Fun!

Cabin fever can hit the homeschool family in January. It's a time when family pets and parents feel like nesting in front of a cozy fire! But kids don't usually feel that way. With so much energy, it's a good time to measure and mix in the kitchen. Math skills can be developed while creating recipes for creative and fun play.

Flubber Fun

1 cup Elmer's white glue
1 1/3 cup warm water
food coloring
2 tsp. Borax
2 glass bowls

In one bowl, mix the glue, 2/3 cup warm water, and food coloring together. In the other bowl, mix the Borax with the remaining 2/3 cup warm water. Pour the glue solution into the bowl containing the Borax mixture. Stir until mixed. Then, let mixture rest so that the stretchy flubber can set. 

Enjoy hours of creative fun with your kids!

Courtesy & Respect

"Always remember that persons matter more than things. Don't say anything that will leave a sting."

Charlotte Mason

Writing a Book

Digital technology has opened up the world. We are able to send instant messages, share photos, and post on personal websites and blogs. Friendships are formed and creativity enhanced. It has also provided many with opportunities to publish. Several of my friends have written their own books. Clarice from Storybook Woods has written a delightful book called "Wren Bay". You might remember one of my blog posts where I reviewed her book. Wren Bay, the story of making a home, portrays charm, creativity, and warmth. It is skillfully mixed with grace and elegance, with a true mix of practicality, economy, and the careful use of natural resources.  Another friend, Marilyn from Delights of the Heart also authored a book. It's called "Tea Party in Your Cupboard" and is filled with ideas for creating impromptu tea parties with products generally found in your cupboard. She includes recipes from her own kitchen.

Clarice and Marilyn inspired me to give it a try! Step one is finding a publishing company online. There are several reliable companies that provide this service. Check out amazon.com, lulu.com, and blurb.com as a start. They offer simple instructions about writing, layout, color, and publishing.

My book is a simple "coffee table" book, although I should be calling it a "tea table" book instead! 

Since my book is simple, I wrote it in a way similar to writing a short story, article, or blog post. My main intent was to find a way to use some of my favorite tea themed photos. Therefore, my book was about tea and I called it "Steeped in Tea & Friendship". It was not only a labor of love, but labor intense as well. That surprised me, as I thought something as simple as my little book wouldn't take much time. I wrote about tea themes and included some of my favorite tea quotes. I enjoyed sitting for an hour or two at my computer each evening and adding to "my book". 

I enjoyed choosing photos and prose for each set of pages. Each pair was laid out by theme like an Asian tea, royal wedding, tea and sewing at a friend's house, or family tea times at the cabin.

Although I only published ten copies which I gave to family and friends for Christmas, I now feel like I have had an interesting peek into the world of self-publishing. It was a fun creative process! I treasure my copy and keep in on my "tea table" to enjoy during quiet moments of the day.

The resources available for publishing from your home computer are endless. And just think of the possibilities that homeschoolers have available to them if they choose to self-publish. Ideas abound! What a great way to teach across the curriculum. How about having your student(s) write a publish 

• a cookbook of their favorite cookie recipes (math, language arts, art, photography)
• a journal of a family vacation (social studies, language arts)
• a short story with illustrations done with colored pencil or photo they take (art, language arts)
• a book of riddles using story problems the student(s) write (math, language arts)
• a themed book on a subject enjoyed by your student(s); themes could include subjects like Lego creations, pets, wild animals, motorcycles, American Girl dolls, etc.

Have you considered writing a book in your homeschool? Please share!

New Beginnings

Wishing you awesome days of homeschooling as the New Year begins! May God's blessing warm your home. And may creativity, inquiry, and application be ingredients in your home school! New beginnings.