Cookies: Bite-Size Life Lessons

I came across these books by Amy Krouse Rosenthal in my local library. They are wonderful for teaching children the meaning of character traits in a way they can easily relate. These books are on my wish list for my boys. They'd make really great gifts for others as well.

The first book Cookies: Bite-Size Life Lessons teaches traits through the activity of making and eating cookies. Here are a few of my favorites:

"COOPERATE means, How about you add the chips while I stir?

PROUD means, My chin is high, and I sure do like the way my cookies turned out.

MODEST means you don't run around telling everyone you make the best cookies, even if
you know it to be true.

RESPECT means offering the very first cookie to your grandmother.

PESSIMISTIC means, How awful, how absolutely dreadful - I only have half my
cookie left.

OPTIMISTIC means, This is great - I still have half my cookie left.

REGRET means, I really wish I didn't eat so many cookies."


Christmas Cookies: Bite-Size Holiday Lessons just came into publication this fall and explains character traits in the same simple-to-understand style.

"DISAPPOINTED means, I tried to make it look like a star, but it didn't turn out at all the
way I expected.

APPRECIATIVE means, Thank you so so much for taking the time to bake with me.

CHARITABLE means setting a big batch aside to give to people who maybe don't have any
cookies at all.

MODERATION means at the party not having twenty cookies, and not having zero cookies,
but having just enough cookies.

FRUSTRATED means, I can't believe we burned them again!

PERSEVERANCE means, We tried and tried and tried, and we finally made the perfect
not-burned batch.

THOUGHTFUL means, Let's give some to our neighbor!"

Plans for 2008-2009

Ahhh...school plans! I have most of my materials...some of this and a little of that. It'll be very different from last year where I simply used all Abeka materials. I knew I definitely wanted to make changes, but I keep second guessing myself and the choices I've currently made. If these choices don't work, then I can change again...

Here goes for what I've decided so far...I think...

FOR ELIJAH (1st Grade):

Language Arts:
Phonics: Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading & Explode the Code series
Grammar: First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind
Handwriting: A Reason for Handwriting
Spelling: Building Spelling Skills
Reading: Family Read-Alouds, Independent Reading time, Books on CD

Math:
Saxon 1

Science:
Christian Kids Explore Biology

History:
The Mystery of History (or The Story of the World)
The Bible

Bible:
Various - daily family devotionals, character trait studies, verse memorization

Physical Education:
Various - swim lessons, outdoor play, bike riding, maybe Karate, maybe learn to skate program for Ice Hockey, bowling, family walks and games

Art:
How to Teach Art to Children, Charity LEAH classes

Music:
Various - Continuing Education classes, Charity LEAH classes

Miscellaneous:
Sign Language - Signing Time DVDs, library books

I'm a little nervous to put all this together, but, each of these curriculum choices are laid out well for parental use and instruction. I just need to come up with a daily plan spread sheet...working on that in Microsoft Excel. I worry that I'll have too much overlap with Language Arts, but time will tell. What I know for sure is that I want Elijah (and Luke & Isaac) to enjoy this process of learning - I want to foster an internal desire to learn more. I want lots of hands-on learning. I want to read lots and lots and lots...and lots more. But mostly, I want to enjoy the opportunity to deepen my relationships with my boys and make the most of every day I have with them. When those relationships are strong, then I can impact their hearts to turn toward Christ and the salvation we can find only in Him. Any other pursuit, educational or otherwise, pales in comparison to this task.