2 Comments

• 
  Ann - 10 years ago

  Thanks so much for sharing what you are doing in your homeschool this time of year! The thought of a season of prayer for each child was especially beautiful.

  If you don't mind, I'm going to 'cut & paste' this comment and share it in the comment portion on the actual blog so your lovely thoughts are not missed.

  Ann

• 
  Mae Calloway - 10 years ago

  We have a busy home school schedule during the year. I home school four children--three of them are not relatives. I do not have children over Christmas break; however, I encourage our Monday Mission activities to continue. This year our special mission for December was preparing meals for another home school family--the mother who is the home school teacher has cancer. We have also decorated and prepared snack boxes for Impact Mission, a local organization which provides Christian homes for children.

  This week, we will have one hour activities centered around the reason for our season. We will look at the meaning of the colors of Christmas. The story around the 12 Days of Christmas, symbols of Christmas, and the meaning and stories of Christmas art through the ages. I have a large Christmas can with a beautiful scenery--homes, trees, etc. with a snowy image of the season. I fill it with symbols of Christmas (horn, sheep/lamb, angel, star, evergreen, holly leaf, Magi, candle, shepherd, Christmas colors, wreath, ornament, fruit, bells, poinsettia, gift bow, crown, Baby Jesus, etc. I have made cards for each symbol and each person gets a symbol from the Christmas can and match it with the card and read it to the group. For example, the poinsettia's card has on it the Star of Bethlehem, the gift bow has--"We are tied together in bonds of goodwill forever," the bell--"Guidance and Return, lost sheep are found by the sound of the bell," ornament, "Generosity and Goodwill," and the wreath--"God is Alpha and Omega. God's love never Ceases. It is a round of affection."

  We also have activities centered around facts about shepherd, facts about angels, facts about stars, etc. For example, I have created fact sheets about Star Bible Verses, we learn about stars and nature for science, we create star art, and we go to the planetarium and the "Star of Wonder" exhibit at the Pink Palace Museum.

  Lastly, since we are busy during the year, I use this time to have special seasons of prayer for our home school , each child, guidance for the new year, etc. During the school year, I go the classroom before the children arrive and kneel at the children's table and pray for each child, wisdom, and for the fruit of the Spirit to be manifested in our lives--a different fruit is one of our themes each month. I pray that God will model that virtue in me as well (i.e., love, patience, gentleness, etc.). I also pray for our needs and our mission projects. I also use this time to regroup and I spend a day or two planning activities for the last four months of school.

  Please pray for us and we pray for home school families around the world. May God bless you during this season and throughout the coming year. Love You Much! The Olive Tree Classical Christian Home School.