We have been going full force over here before the upcoming blessed holidays. That’s because we have a goal. See, at Thanksgiving we share some of our best work with grandparents. They are a captive audience, bless them.
I wrote about our Thanksgiving Homeschool Celebration at Heart of the Matter a couple years ago. And I am so glad we’ve maintained this helpful habit. Because I don’t know about you, but I’ve found myself – mama the teacher – to be a little lack luster with all the Thanksgiving prep and the white space on the December calendar growing more scare each day we get closer.
This Thanksgiving Homeschool Celebration keeps the children busy too while I’m busy preparing the meal. “Mama, are we taking a Thanksgiving break?” one asked a couple days ago. “Yes, we are.” I answered. But the reading of seasonal books like Cranberry Thanksgiving, the counting of blessings and the finishing of projects will continue next week.
So, I’m sharing today some examples of how we do our Thanksgiving Homeschool Celebration, mixed with some photo collages of this past week.
Middle Girl has been working along and along adding sea creatures to her Ocean Box project as part of Apologia Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day studies.
A captive audience. That’s what you have in family and friends on Thanksgiving. Each year at this time we share what we call a unit celebration of our homeschool. Basically, we show off the best of our school work, projects, art work while the side dishes are still warming in the oven. This six-year tradition is rooted in our Tapestry of Grace studies. But, we not only share what we have learned about history, our children also might share an upcoming Christmas piano recital song they are practicing. Maybe a short skit they have put together. Big brother makes a video of it all.
One afternoon this past week it was an Answers in Genesis Homeschool History Revealed time. Listening to Diana Waring share about Napoleon while one makes chalk pastel trains, another builds with LEGO® Education StoryStarter, another makes clay sea creatures for Apologia science and another listens and rests. It’s a Hodgepodge homeschool.
I’d say that most of us homeschoolers have a good amount of schooling and learning under our belts by Thanksgiving. It doesn’t matter if you are still in the midst of medieval time studies. What better time to share accomplishments, get a boost of praise from family about your schooling? Likely, many of our friends and relatives are curious about our homeschooling ways. Let them have a peek at the best parts. Let the children do the work. Allow the children to design the unit celebration program.
It’s drop off week for Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes are we’re putting the last things in ours. Joy to the World!
Can you see all the different life skills and subjects that can be counted while they are having fun? Tailor it to your studies. Design it for your family. Psst. It’s also a great opportunity to spread out all that paperwork, get a picture to preserve it for always, and then ‘refile’ (if you know what I mean).
At Thanksgiving, it’s a good habit to celebrate your children and be thankful for your homeschool!
Hodgepodge of News and Resources
You still have the rest of today to enter to win a $100 gift certificate from LEGO® Education! Hodgepodgedad’s LEGO StoryStarter review.
My Thanksgiving Pinterest board
My Christmas Pinterest board
The schedule for Real Refreshment Retreat – Atlanta has been announced! Details are on the Real Refreshment blog.
We’ll be giving away something very special along with our Christmas Chalk Pastels soon.
We have a new chalk pastel ebook in the works for January – the Olympics!
Don’t forget all those free YouTube art tutorials (including a Christmas wreath) – I do hope you’ll enjoy some chalk art during your holiday break.
It will still be a Hodgepodge now and then but it might just be a touch quieter here on the blog over the holidays. The Lord is prompting me in that direction.
Many thanks to our Friday hostesses:
Collage Friday with Mary at Home Grown Learners
Weekly Wrap-Up with Kris at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers
Have a very Happy Thanksgiving, friends!
Download the Homeschooling in Georgia ebook today!
Download the Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue art tutorial today!