Peek-a-boo Word Families!

To continue with the lesson on word families, I came up with open the flap kind of game. We used index cards, wrote several word families and words too that go with the family. We covered the first letter with construction paper.

We named a color and then they would lift the flap of the color and read the word. Also along with reading the word we named what family it belonged too.

 

After we used the cards we put them on the back of cardboard and we will hang it up on the wall.

 

We will use it for morning drills! It was simple and fun, the children always loved those kind of books, where you had to discover what was behind the flaps. We knew this one would be a hit.

They were even gentle with it and curious as we made it, about what was behind the colored squares.

Orange Word Family Trees

This is a great idea, that my friend Jamilah came up with for her class. Making a tree and putting the name of the word family on the trunk ( in her case she made apples, we made oranges) Then we made different words fitting each family and had the boys place the word on the right word family tree. We mixed up the words too as Jamilah recommended.

This is a great literacy game that we had to try as soon as we saw it.

The boys loved the idea of putting oranges on their orange tree.

I think this is a good way to teach and remember word families.

We made sentences using the words, practice spelling them and placed on the tree, showing why which word went to a specific family because of the last two words

We did the following word families:

it

at

ig

And now that we got that concept a bit better we move on to other ones such as ake! Cake Bake Make

Monday Mommy Moments: I love being a Mom!

Here is my monday mommy moment for today: Making memories/ being a mom

We started homeschooling from birth and have not stopped since then. Our oldest son is now four years old, and we have so much to look back on! We pray when they all grow up they will have the fondest memories of being with their parents and enjoying getting an education.  I went through my phone the other day and saw some beautiful pictures, I must have somehow forgotten about them, of the boys at the garden and them lovingly touching my face. I felt so good inside seeing the pictures and it really made me think: this is why we do it

This is why we spend our nights making projects, coming up with fun ideas, and this is why we take time to be our child’s first teacher. We are making a positive impact and awesome memories for our children. It is a blessing that we can share what we love and who we love with the world.

It is more important that our children feel the love that we put into everything we do for them. I imagine them growing up and telling their children their wonderful childhood memories. I pray they in turn do similar with their own children. I love being a mom, it is such a rewarding and beautiful station in life. I am so blessed I get to experience this and alhamdulilah Allah (God) is Most Kind to me for entrusting me with the lives of such beautiful children.

So I ask you, what memories are making? Are you making a positive impact in your child’s life? Don’t you just love being a mom!

First attempt Addition Lapbook

We did addition this week alhamdulilah it was fun, we came up with a new song and did some macaroni math, see: http://habeebeescholars.blogspot.com. We became interested in lapbooking,

I think it is fun and beneficial too! A great way to store work and you can use it for each child or let someone else use it. I was working on making a lapbook the past couple days, but became side tracked and finally completed it tonight. Can’t wait for the boys to use it!

 

The past week I requested materials for homeschooling on freecycle and alhamdulilah was blessed to get a big box of pretty much new supplies. Folders, crayons, markers, paper and more.

 

Hubby and I put this simple addition lapbook together

Using index cards we put 1 addition facts and taped them enough so they can use washable markers to write the answers and reuse

Then we made a series of mini books inside the lapbook, on matching, addition chart, addition with pictures, word problems and circle the right answer workbook

We will be working on our second lapbook later this weekend inshaAllah for counting numbers 1-10

 

This was really fun to do and it looks like I will add lapbooking into our homeschooling!

 

Monday Mommy Moments: Thank You!

I posted on twitter the other day about feeling like I am alone in the forest, and talking to myself some days. That’s how I feel when it comes to what I share on the blog, facebook, and twitter. My friend reminded me to keep the focus  and remember the intention. That was some great advice.

My intent from the start has been to share our journey with others and our love of homeschooling our children. The children are the most important reason why I keep this up. They benefit from it and we are closer in our relationship. My son said to me the other day “Ummi, thank you for school.”

It really touched my heart. How powerful and meaningful a thank you can be. He get’s it, he appreciates it and I am not alone in the forest but a mom whose children appreciate her. That made me feel good inside.  Even on days where I feel tired and my oldest son ask to play tag, I muster up the energy to run around the house with all three of them because I feel good knowing they feel good.

 

Alhamdulilah his thank you made my day, my week, my life. From the youngest of us to the oldest, never under estimate the power of showing gratitude and saying thank you

Did you thank someone today?