These weekly lessons were made to go along with ‘By the Shores of Silver Lake‘ written by Laura Ingalls Wilder. We are planning to go through the whole series and I am keeping track of the different topics we are learning about here on my blog. We hope you enjoy these as much as we have!

Mornings:

We start every morning off with our prayers and the Pledge of Allegiance. Below is a picture of the prayers that we say and a video of the Pledge of Allegiance.

Not the prettiest example but that’s what we’ve been using for the past few years.

 

 

 

Don’t have a flag? Grab one HERE and print it out to put up somewhere… you could even let the kids make a flag to proudly display. Amazon also has some little ones like this one HERE and HERE.

After this, we have our calendar time also where we go over such things as the Days of the Week, the months, and some basic math.

This one came from Lakeshore Learning.

The younger kids will also be watching some of these videos while I work with the older ones:

 

 

We may also use some of the songs found HERE.

And we will be trying out some relaxing background music with Google.

 

We also like to use this song during our ‘Morning Time’ to help the kids learn the 50 States. 

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Tip: If you want to go to a certain week/chapter or topic simply push the ‘ctrl’ and the ‘F’ button down together and a small bar will pop up. Type in the week number or chapter number you want and it will take you to it.

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We will be discussing some of the character qualities that are displayed in the book but if you would like to do a separate character study lesson you can download one HERE.

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Answers can be found HERE.

Answer Key Password: momsrock

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Here are our lesson plans for the week:

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Language Arts

Week 8: Chapters 29, 30, 31 & 32

(The Shanty On The Claim, Where Violets Grow, Mosquitoes, Evening Shadows Fall)

Reading:

READ CHAPTERS 29, 30, 31 & 32

• You can read it or let the kids help to read it aloud.
• You can also access an audio version:
  • Chapter 29
  • Chapter 30
  • Chapter 31 (and 32)
  • Chapter 32

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

Chapter Twenty-Nine (The Shanty On The Claim):

• What problem were they having? Who helped to solve the problem?
• What did Pa get finished on the house?
• What did everyone miss?
• What did Pa bring home for everyone?
• What happened to Grace?

Chapter Thirty (Where Violets Grow):

• Who found Grace? Where was she?
• What did Pa say had made the fairy ring?
• What did the girls do to the trees after they were planted?
• What did Pa put up?
• What plans did Pa have?

Chapter Thirty-One (Mosquitoes):

• What did Pa plan to build?
• What began to pester them? Do you remember when they had a mosquito problem before? Click HERE to read it again.
• What did Ma wish?
• How did Pa solve the problem?
• Where did Pa say no one would homestead?

Chapter Thirty-Two (Evening Shadows Fall):

• What kept the animals comfortable?
• Why were there no mosquitoes in the house?
• What did Laura think about while watching Pa?
• Who shared the tiny bedroom with Laura?
• How did the song fit in with where they were?

Additional Reading:

OLDER CHILDREN:

Each child will complete a reading lesson from our McGuffey Primer Books or other reading materials that we chose for the day.

YOUNGER CHILDREN:

Younger kids will also be doing one lesson a day from Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons.

We are also working through All About Reading Level Pre-reading with William as he needed something a little different from what we had been doing.

Vocabulary/Spelling:

Print: By the Shores of Silver Lake Vocabulary Word List Week 8

OLDER KIDS:

• Day One: Write your words three times each.
• Day Two: Write your words in ABC order.
• Day Three: Look up definitions and use five of your words in a sentence.
• Day Four: Test (optional) or Worksheet:
  • By the Shores of Silver Lake Vocabulary Worksheet Week 8

Parents click HERE for the answer key.**see instructions at the top of the page.

YOUNGER KIDS:

• Spelling You See Level A

Handwriting:

OLDER KIDS:

• Spencerian Penmanship

-or-

• A Reason for Handwriting, Transition to Cursive, Book T, Based on Scripture Verses

YOUNGER KIDS:

• A Reason for Handwriting: Level A: Manuscript Student Workbook

Writing:**

Play this writing game HERE.

• Write a descriptive book report about the story we’ve read. Click HERE for book report forms.

WATCH THIS VIDEO ABOUT IDIOMS:

• How many of these have you heard?
• Write down 4 or 5 of your favorite ones and try to use them correctly this week.

Other Activity:

GROUP:

• Work on your lapbook.
• Play Later Gater
• Finish reading: Who Was Louis Braille?
• Continue reading through In a Pickle: And Other Funny Idioms or get a copy of Scholastic Dictionary of Idioms to help with some of the lessons.
• Watch Signing Times: My Favorite Things
• Work on your Moby Max account

OLDER KIDS:

• Continue reading your book. Finish it up this week as you will have a Book Report due next week!
• Play Hangman
• Play this reading game HERE.
• Bonus Points: Read to a younger sibling

YOUNGER KIDS:

• Reading: My Shadow
• Tell someone about the book. (Oral Book Report)
• Work with the Alphabet Theme Box from Lakeshore Learning.
• Teach Your Monster to Read
• Free Choice Spelling/Vocabulary Game

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Math

** For fun you may try ‘ciphering’ on a slate with a slate pencil.

Group:

• Do an activity from Building Thinking Skills® Level 1.
• Do an activity from Math Games.
• When you are finished with your math work you can play an Educational Game.

ROTATE THROUGH THESE ACTIVITIES:

• Spielgaben
• Critical Thinking Activity
• Play Tenzi
• MÖBI Kids
• Play ColorKu

Older Kids:

• When they moved to the claim shanty they had trouble getting everything to fit. Have you ever thought about how much work goes into decorating a home? One thing you need to know how to do is to calculate the area of your home.
  • Read through and complete pages 9-16 of this pdf workbook
• Work on a lesson in your Ray’s Arithmetic Books or other math workbooks.
• Work on Khan Academy

Younger Kids:

• Work on your Math-U-See Primer or another workbook.
• Practice with Numbers & Counting Theme Box
• Work on Khan Academy or ABCmouse.com

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Geography and History

State Study

• This week we will study Ohio.

• Complete your notebooking pages.
• Older kids can write a report about the state.
• Play USA Games

Development of the Plains

TIMBER CULTURE ACT OF 1873

• Discuss what you have learned.
• What was the most interesting thing you learned? Why?
• Why was this act so important?
• Continue learning about the Development of the Plains:
  • Development of the Plains Flashcards
  • Homesteading the Plains: Toward a New History
  • The Homestead Act and Westward Expansion: Setting the Western Frontier (Spotlight on American History)

  

Famous People:

• Discuss what you have learned.
• What was the most interesting thing you learned? Why?
• Continue reading a book about Louis Braille. Report Due: Week 9.
  • Who Was Louis Braille?
  • Six Dots: A Story of Young Louis Braille
    • (AUDIO VERSION)
• Complete and activity from HERE.

Bonus

• Discuss what you have learned.
• What was the most interesting thing you learned? Why?

EXTRA:

• Play Oregon Trail Game 
• Social Studies Quiz Game Show
• Play GeoBingo USA Educational Geography Board Game

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Science

Pick one or two topics to learn about:

COMPARE AND CONTRAST WELL-DIGGING METHODS:

Hand-dug:

Mechanical:

• Discuss what you learned.
• Which method would you prefer? Why?
• Make a Venn Diagram showing the differences and similarities.

WHY ARE TREES SO IMPORTANT?

• Discuss what you learned.
• Name three reasons we need trees.

WHAT IS A WINDBREAK?

• Discuss what you learned.
• Name three advantages of a windbreak.

COTTONWOOD TREES

• Discuss what you learned.
• Why do you think Pa chose to plant cottonwood trees?

WHAT ARE SHADOWS?

• Discuss what you learned.

Extra Activities:

• Discuss what you learned.

Other:

• Don’t Bug Me Game
• Mr. Nussbaum Science Games
• Mystery Science

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Life Skills

We will be discussing some of the character qualities that are displayed in the book but if you would like to do a separate character study lesson you can download one HERE.

Memory Verse:

We will be memorizing Romans 8:31-39 during this unit study. Print it HERE.

• Work on memorizing one verse during the week for a special prize.
  • Verse 32: He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
    
    
• Older kids can copy the memory verse down in their notebook.

Character

Memory Verse:

We will be memorizing Romans 8:31-39 during this unit study. Print it HERE.

• Work on memorizing one verse during the week for a special prize.
  • Verse 38: For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
    
• Older kids can copy the memory verse down in their notebook.

Character

• Ma laughed at the house but do you think she was thankful? Why or why not?
• What does contentment mean?
• Work on Being Happy

Manners

Continue reading about hospitality. Choose one of the books below to read from:

• A Life That Says Welcome: Simple Ways to Open Your Heart & Home to Others
• Practicing Hospitality: The Joy of Serving Others

READ:

• A Life That Says Welcome p. 63-126
• Practicing Hospitality p. 101-130

DISCUSSION:

• What are some things you learned?
• What are some areas you need to work on?

TRY ONE OF THESE ACTIVITIES:

• Promoting Hospitality as a Way of Life
• Giving and Receiving Hospitality Games and Activities
• WHAT IS HOSPITALITY?
• HOSPITALITY CHART – TEACHING HOSPITALITY TO KIDS
• 11 Tips for TEACHING CHILDREN HOSPITALITY
• Discovering the Heart of True Hospitality
• Simple Hospitality in Your Home

Fun Activities

WATCH A WELL-DIGGER IN ACTION:

OTHER:

• Finish planning and shopping for your dinner party.
• Try rearranging some furniture with permission.
  • Draw it out on paper first.
• Learn how to get grass stains out of your clothes.
• Try to make some all-natural pest repellents:
  • Ants Be Gone!
  • Spider Be Gone Spray
• Research ways to preserve foods with Preserving Everything.
• Click HERE to learn about fun and unusual holidays.

Bonus Skills — Choose one or two to work on

Practice these until you finish this unit study and then we will move on to new skills.

SUSIE’S CHEM FREE ZONE

With Norwex kids can help too!

• Discuss what you learned.
• What are some changes you can help to make in your home?

KIDS COOK REAL FOOD 

• Work on your next lesson.
• Help to prepare a meal using your new skills.
• Smart Sweets

SKILL TREK

• Work on at least one task a week.
• Practice your new skill this week.
• How to Get a House That Cleans Itself

HERB STUDY

• Using one of the following for your study:
  • A Kid’s Herb Book: For Children of All Ages
  • Herb Fairies books: A Magical Tale of Plants & Their Remedies
  • INTRODUCTION TO HERBS FOR KIDS

• Discuss what you learned.
• Be sure to jot down some notes.
• Play Wildcraft! An Herbal Adventure Game, a cooperative board game

TRIM HEALTHY YOU

• Read through your lesson.
• Discuss what you learned.
• Complete any bookwork.
• Try out a recipe using your new information.

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PE, Health & Safety

Health & Safety

SAFE DRINKING WATER

WHAT TO DO IF YOU GET LOST.

• Discuss what you have learned.
• What was the most interesting thing you learned? Why?
• What should you do if you get lost?
• Go to Kids Health and find a related topic to learn more about. Play a game with permission.
• Do an activity from the Health & Safety Theme Box

WE USE OUR BERKEY TO PURIFY OUR WATER.

Use Code KIRBY5 for a 5% discount on a Berkey Water Filter System!

Check out some of our posts below:

• Get A Little Peace Of Mind When You Get A Berkey
• Why We Love Our Berkey So Much and Why We Think You Would Love One Too!
• Emergency Preparedness: Prepping For Hurricane Dorian
• Never worry about buying bottled water again!

Games/Outdoor Play

• Play Trees p. 146 of The Ultimate Homeschool Physical Education Game Book by Guy Bailey
• Check out these sites for some fun Pioneer games:
  • PIONEER CHILDREN – toys and games
  • Bobcat Ridge 4th Grade Pioneer Program Games and Recreation Station

Bonus:

Did you know that Square Dancing is a good exercise for helping you to have strong bones?

• Mainstream Lesson 14
• Mainstream Lesson 15

If you haven’t already signed up for classes have your parents check for a local club near you.

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Music, Arts & Crafts

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**BE SURE TO SAVE A FEW SAMPLES OF YOUR WORK FOR YOUR  PORTFOLIO!  TAKE PICTURES OF BIG PROJECTS!

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 –Thank you!