In this recap, I am going to share what we did at home for more hands-on learning related to Classical Conversations Cycle 1 Week 7: Bible, History, Geography, and Science memory work. I will also share my tutor plans, library books, and our monthly tea time.
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BIBLE:
Resources: Foundations of the Bible vol. 1
This week, we learned about Abraham and the covenant God made with him in Genesis 12. Abraham began following the Lord’s calling for his life at 75 years old. He had to wait a long 25 years for God’s promise to come to fulfillment. He is the father of our faith and the father of many nations. Abraham was counted as righteous because of his faith in God.
Note: This study pairs with each week of the CC optional Bible memory work, but you can go at your own pace because there is SO much to learn. You can also jump in at any time. Anyone can do this study, not just CC families. Learn more about the Foundations collection here.
HISTORY:
Resources: Story of the World Book Cycle 1 (Match Up List) | Story of the World Series | Real Cool History for Kids Podcast — Chronological episode guide here
Activity: Draw a Mandala (Video 1 or Art Hub For Kids) , Draw Indian elephant and watercolor
We learned about Hinduism and Buddhism in India. This week is a great opportunity to compare these religions with what God’s Word says. We made a mandala, which is something these religions use for meditation. While drawing, we listened to worship music. We used a compass to create the circles for these designs. I've linked two video options to help teach you how to draw. You can also do an Indian elephant, which I taught to my class for the upside-down image on week 3.
Tip: If you use video 1, the less circles you create the easier the mandala will be for little kids. We did about 5 circles.
SCIENCE:
Resources: Learning with Friends Year 1 Bundle (code GRACEFRIENDS for 10% off) | CC Connected Sandbox File | Kim Vieley Science Cards
Activity: LWF Egg Experiment
This week, we learned about the different ways animals reproduce. The hands-on activity from Learning with Friends had us discover if animals breathe while developing in eggs. The kids looked at the eggshell under the microscope and were able to see the pores.
GEOGRAPHY:
Resources: Trace black line maps from CC sandbox | Drawing Africa | Keppel Trifold Maps on CC Connected
Activity: Trace maps daily, Make a recipe from the region (Crockpot Recipes) | Roman Chicken, Squash, & Peaches
We learned about the Roman Empire this week. We sang the memory work to the tune “The Wheels on the Bus.” For our Roman recipe, we made a chicken, acorn squash, and peach dish. I enjoyed the recipe page because they shared some fun facts about Ancient Roman life that I read aloud as we ate. Each morning, the kids trace their maps in sheet protectors. I also read the SOTW chapter about Carthage.
MONTHLY TEA TIME:
Resource: Tea Time Together History Units (use code: BYGRACE10 for an extra 10% off!)
Each month, I host a history tea party with a few friends. This month we focused on Ancient Hebrews. These ancient history studies pair perfectly with the topics we are learning in CC this cycle. I have the full ancient history bundle.
Each family makes a dish related to the culture, and then we use Tea Time Together's ancient history units for our discussion. I love these units because they include an art study, fun facts about the culture, recipes, and book suggestions.
These units are designed to be done at home once a week as a special time with your kids. However, I decided to make it a monthly fellowship time to do with friends. We do the entire unit in one sitting. The moms and I take turns reading the cards (there are 4 per unit), and we watch the videos, discuss, and eat together. It’s intentional, simple, and sweet!
LIBRARY BOOKS:
Here are some books that relate to this week’s memory work.
Important note: When reading any book on Buddhism or Hinduism to my kids, I always make sure to use it as an opportunity to call out the false teaching compared to God’s Word. Before I begin reading, I share that the book is a false religion and that we will learn what they believe. I think it is important to know what other religions claim as truth so that we can teach our kids to detect lies and false teachings compared to the Bible. You will read many crazy things in these books that will hopefully provide lots of opportunity to share the gospel and the truth of who God is!
- Buddhism by Elizabeth Andrews (History)
- Hinduism by Elizabeth Andrews (History)
- The Library of Alexandria by Kelly Trumble (Geography) - This is a longer picture book, so we are still working on reading this.
- The Life of Buddha by Heather Sanche (History) - Tells how Buddha came to be
- Whose Egg Is That by Darrin Lunde (Science)
TUTOR PLANS:
How to Make a Tutor Board | Week 7 Tutor Plans | Blank Tutor Template | Scavenger Hunts
Here is my tutor board for week 7.
Things that worked well for my class this week (Abecedarians):
- Tin Whistle: I brought dish soap and water in a jar to class so the kids could dip the tip of their tin whistle in the mixture. If they blow softly and cover all the holes, then they should be able to make a bubble. This is really fun for all ages. A few kids in my class were successful. You may have an even higher success rate if you use a real bubble mixture. This is a fun way to help the kids learn how to blow a long soft note vs. their instinct of quick and hard.
- Animal Nature Walk: I made a fun scavenger hunt paper for my class since our nature walk is at a church. I wanted them to have a successful walk and find a lot of things, so I made a list with animals and insects that can be easily found on or near the church campus. You can download it above.
YOUTUBE PLAYLIST:
I created my first YouTube channel to record all the songs and hand motions I want to use with the kids. I've compiled each subject's songs into a weekly playlist. I create this primarily to help the parents in my class review the motions with their kids at home. This is a great resource for other tutors to use to build their plans for the week.
PREVIEW: WEEK 8 PLANS
Here's a look at what we plan on doing for Week 8.
Tutors: I will use this download for our Plant Scavenger Hunt this week.
Hope you have a great week!
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