Homeschool Writing

I am SO excited about homeschooling this year! Not only are we continuing with Moving Beyond the Page (LA) and Life of Fred (math)...but we are starting a fabulous science program tomorrow called Supercharged Science....and now I just ordered a new writing curriculum that looks like it will be a blast, called---Cover Story:
"Create Your Own Magazine in One Year!
Cover Story writing curriculum takes middle school students on a guided tour through the universe of Story as they create content for their own magazine in one school year.

In this exciting curriculum from Daniel Schwabauer, the creator of the popular One Year Adventure Novel, students are led, step by step, on a fun, thought-provoking journey of exploration and creation.
Your student will write poems, short stories, non-fiction articles, letters, and many other short pieces. They also learn to notice and record their thoughts and ideas by following the creative structure of The Remarkable Journal of Professor Gunther Von Steuben.
A 12-lesson optional grammar component is included with purchase.
Cover Story also allows students the freedom of choosing a theme for their magazine, and a subject for each assignment. This approach gives the structure and guidance they need to understand the principles in each lesson, but allows them to create from passion rather than pressure.
This one-year program is appropriate for grade levels 6–9."
I plan on participating not only as their teacher, but as a student myself, and creating my own Magazine this year. I've had all these writing ideas, but so little opportunity to truly just sit and write..but now I found my opportunity!
If any of my homeschooling friends are interested in viewing or ordering "Cover Story," please consider ordering via the link below; will save you 10% through a homeschool buyers co-op; and give my family some "points" toward our next purchase. This is a fabulous website for learning about curricula options and saving some money.
link for Cover Story:
https://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org/cover-story/…
link for Supercharged Science:
https://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org/Supercharged-Science/…

Yoga Class

This non fiction piece was written by Little Miss Angel (age 8) with ZERO help (including spelling **I left all of her original spellings in:) from her teacher....illustrations/pictoral depiction provided by Little Miss Fairy Girl (age 7.)

YOGA CLASS

When we got there we were the first ones to lay out our yoga mats.  Then a few other people came and of course layd out there mats.  Then Ms. Laura introduced herself and told us about the forming art class.  And then we did some moves like butterfly and frog and mermaid and pigeon.  And she massaged our backs while we did a yoga move.  And then she said that kids could play a game.  It was just like musical chairs.

How to Play

you will need

.2 yoga balls

.4 jump ropes

.1 balance beam

.duct tape

1. put the duct tape on the floor and then put 3 kids on each side

2.  turn a radio on turn it off evrey minute.

"Marshmallow Madness" a short story written by our homeschoolers

Once upon a time, our family started a campfire for an innocent evening of relaxation.

Little Katrina said: "we need smores!"  So Mommy ran inside to get the smore stuff: graham crackers, chocolates, and of course (the star of the story), marshmallows!

Marie said, "Daddy, may I please have a marshmallow?"  Daddy hands over a marshmallow; Marie carefully puts it onto a stick, and toasts it to a perfect golden brown.  Daddy then carefully removes Marie's hot marshmallow.  Marie takes one bite of her perfect marshmallow, sets it on a plate to run in for a glass of water, and returns to find Daddy with a sticky, smiley grin.

Marie is VERY mad and throws a marshmallow at Daddy!  Little Katrina starts giggling and throws a marshmallow at Daddy too....just for fun:)

Marshmallows start flying everywhere!

...Until Marie comes out with her secret weapon.....the JUMBO MARSHMALLOW SHOOTER!

She prepares the shooter....1....2....3....BLAST OFF!

Everybody watches as the marshmallow flies, right into Fido's BUTT!  Fido gets this funny look on his face...then...

1....2.....3....BLAST OFF!!!   (Fido toots:)

and the marshmallow flies right into Daddy's face!!!  Everybody watches Daddy: "Yummy, that was really good, but it really needs graham crackers and chocolate!"

THE END

Sledding In Florida (as told by Fairy Girl)

"Sledding In Florida"  

(***All Names have been changed to protect the Innocent, as this short story is loosely based on actual events  (This LINK takes you to the post that proves that yes, we indeed DID sled in central Florida ;)

It was Thanksgiving Day.  We did not have dinner on Thanksgiving, because our daddy had to go to work.  Once he got home, we went to bed, snuggling under the covers.  On Friday we packed, loaded the car, and hit the road.  We drove and arrived to Grandma and Grandpa's.  We removed our bags from the car and took Pancake out of his kennel.  Donald the Goofy went inside and hugged Pancake; he then took Pancake for a walk.  Donald the Goofy (a.k.a. Daddy) and Pancake got lost.  They called Cherry Berry (a.k.a. Mommy) to come rescue them.  (please note: her favorite food is berries; she will eat nothing but berries).  They return to grandma and grandpa's and have Thanksgiving dinner: turkey, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, gravey, cranberries (mommy ONLY ate cranberries), and pumpkin pie.

The next day, mommy and daddy surprised Kay-Lynn and Korea to take them to a Florida Christmas tree lighting festival.  The girls are dressed in shirts, skirts, and flipflops.  And then Mommy (who ate ALL the berries) announced: "We're going sledding!"  (after she tries to get more berries).  Kay-Lynn: "In Florida, that's CRAZY!"  And, the girls really did go sledding in Florida----FOR REAL!  And then, the snow melted all over Donald the Goofy.

We had Snow Much Fun!

The End

The Good Willow Tree is the "Funnest" Tree House in the World!

One day, Evelyn planted a seed.  And Eva helped her.  It took a whole year for the seed to grow.  It grew into a beautiful willow tree.  The girls made a tree house.  They worked together!

Evelyn and Eva had a lot of fun hanging in the tree house.  They pretended it was a robot tree house.  Next, it became a princess castle.  So they (naturally) needed some accessories in the tree house.  The girls headed over to The Great Willow Store.  There they found a sign that says, "Girls Only."  Also, they found a little chocolate-maker.  Since they found their treasures, they picked up lunch and brought it to their tree house.  They dined on peanutbutter and jelly sandwiches and lemonade.  Then they fired up the Little Chocolate Maker.  OH OH!!! chocolate EXPLOSION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  chocolate everywhere.  So, they cleaned up (naturally tasting some of the mess along the way:)

The Girls decided to go home because it was getting dark.  After a delicious cup of hot cocoa; followed by brushing teeth and jammies....Eva and Evelyn got under their cozy covers, fell asleep and dreamed of their tree house and more adventrues in it tomorrow.

the end

p.s.  While they were sleeping, their Good Willow Tree and Tree House grew bigger and bigger and bigger...

"First Halloween": (a short story written and illustrated by Fairy and Angel Girls)

It was the day before Halloween.  The girls were choosing their costumes.  Evelyn wants to be a princess.  Kate really wants to be a mermaid.  And Mary really wants to be a mermaid.  Eva doesn't know yet.

Evelyn: "how about a princess?"
Eva: "wow, that's a great idea!"
Evelyn: "do you like the idea?"
Eva: "yes, we will make it tomorrow.  But first, we will have lunch before we decide how to make the costume."

The girls break for lunch together, and eat peanutbutter and jelly sandwiches, lemonade, and grapes.

After lunch, they start talking about Eva's costume.


Evelyn: "what about your costume Eva?"
Eva: "well, I want it to be sparkly and pretty and shiny---And I'll leave it all up to Evelyn."


The girls start talking about their trick or treat bags.  Evelyn wants a ballerina bag.  Eva wants a ghost bag.  Kate and Mary are babies, too young for candy, so they don't need bags.  They will be home with a babysitter.


The girls are sleeping over at Eva's house.


Eva: "Let's go sleep in the bonus room, so we don't wake the babies."  


After a night of popcorn, pepsi's, and scary movies...before they knew it, it was morning!  They wake up and start work on their costumes.  Eva's mom calls them for breakfast: freaky fried eggs and scary pancakes and ghost bacon.


Back to the costumes.  The girls were able to put together beautiful costumes!

And then it was lunch time (of course): pumpkin fries and pumpkin punch.


Now it's time to make the haunted food for their Halloween party: Haunted gingerbread house; mummy dogs; spider cake; monster cupcakes.


Then, they put their costumes on, to prepare for TRICK OR TREATING!


Eva's mom says: "it's only 6:30, it's not time yet!"  
And the girls scream: "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" (because they can't go yet, and clearly they are excited). 


So, the girls make up a trick or treat song and dance, til it's time to go...
when Evelyn's mom says: "7:00, time to go!"  The girls went to the first house:

TRICK OR TREAT!

Unit Study---Oceanography---Story Writing

activity: we are working with a unit study theme of oceanography---why?  we now live 15 miles from the Atlantic and because it was the free, immediately-available unit study that came with the unit study curriculum we purchased and for which we were waiting:)  This particular activity is about day four for this unit (each unit is designed to last about two weeks).  This one suggests, if you were to take a miracle pill to breathe and live underwater, write a poem describing what life would be like.  Well, of course this is right up our alley--but the girls have WAY too much to say (esp. when there is an opportunity to become mermaids:) to put it into a poetic format:)

LIFE UNDER THE OCEAN

The "miracle pill" to breathe under water is SEAWEED!!!  We go to fish school.  We read fish stories.  We do fish math!... (fish + fish = fish)...shark + shark = MAD SHARK....

We also go on field trips to explore shark places.  There, we would ride on a sea horse and have the best-time ever!!  (Fairy Girl) is now a mermaid named Cinderella: "I have a blue tail, a blue bra, and hair the color of the sky, and a pretty voice!  Oh and I found a blue necklace that said to me: 'I belonged to you all this time; I'm yours now!'  I'd be a mermaid forever with animal mermaids: mer-dogs, mer-cows, and mer-catterpillars!"

  We now head to the Sea of Adventureland, where we will be sure to meet dolphins and ride on them.  We would also ride on candy cane seahorses!!  Candy and Icecream are EVERYWHERE!!

 Candy canes started falling everywhere, but dolphin helped us to escape.  It also rains chocolate, in the Sea of Adventureland!

After we escaped the torrential candy cane downpours we met Ice-cream Octopus, Bubble Gum Ice Cream Sea Horses; Ice Cream inside of jelly beans; Sea Sponges made out of vanilla ice cream; sea stars made out of chocolate; sea horses' tentacles made out of jelly beans.

The Queen's crown was made of jelly beans and frosting and a candy tail!

Sea horses are made of lots of ice cream and frosting....mermaids lick them! (of course:)

We are mermaids!  Mermaid City Forever!!! 

(we will never leave;)

The Candy Mer-Tail End 

A Birthday Party

 

Once upon a time, someone knocked on a door and a little girl was invited to a birthday party.  Her name is Samantha; Kalela is having the party.  

 

   The much-anticipated birthday party time has arrived.  Samantha is excited to get ready.  Samantha put the invitation on the table and put her greatest clothes on (they were pink:)  Her mom said, "Samantha, you forgot something.....A BIG HUG!"......"Samantha, you forgot something else....your makeup."

 Samantha went to the party.  She rang the doorbell and everyone was at the party.  They ran out of drinks and Samantha had to drink water.  Samantha began to cry because she didn't get a sweet drink.  Kalela was turning 10, Samantha was still nine.  Then, they ran out of food and Samantha began to cry purple tears---she's down in the dumps:(

Kalela, the birthday girl, walked up to purple teary-eyed Samantha and said, "can you please leave?"  As Samantha was sadly walking out, Kalela blurted out, "Please don't leave!  Sorry---Sorry---Sorry!"

Samantha came back to the party.  But she cried again because the birthday girl wouldn't let her play with Fairy Princess doll, only with Prince Charming doll---she didn't want to be a boy.  She wasn't having fun:(

But, she was happy to receive a birthday hat!!  And she started to have more fun!!!  The kids started playing tag, and she chased the birthday girl, Kalela, who tripped and fell head first into the cake.  Then Samantha, running backwards,  tripped and fell butt first into the cake!!  Everybody was laughing.  

NOW Samanth was having fun!

THE END

Camp Mokey: An Eating Adventure

The family is going camping on Lemon Island to Mokey Bear Campground.  They packed all their food and stuff, preparing to take walks and swim (so they thought).  On the drive to the campground, the kids looked out the window and saw a sign for Lemon Island, "we're here!!"  Suddenly, the boy, Sharkee, saw Grandma and Grandpa out the window.  "Hi Grandma!  Hi Bad Singer!!" (as Garmie the GPS says, "arriving at Mokey Bear Campground.")  Grandpa Fan and Grandma Hudy, arrive to Camp Mokey in their big van Bootie.

 Great news for Samantha, she brought ALL of her stuff, and the moving truck made it to Mokey Bear Campground!  (Samantha also packed the fridge and all their food, which also arrived.  It turns out Sharkee, the boy, packed all his stuff too, and snuck it on Samantha's moving truck.)

Jonas, the daddy, has a really long arm that can reach everything!  (This can really come in handy).  Jonas is holding his wife's hand, and she's standing pretty far away from him:)  Together, they are holding Kate, the newborn baby.

 Samantha and Sharkee read a book to baby Kate by the campfire, "Bad Singer had a little Lamb."  Then, they head over to Mokey Bear Campstore and ask for change.  They take the change to go play video games and buy candy at the campstore.  After, the family heads to the Mokey Camp Carnival.  They buy giant lollipops--2 GIANT lollipops each!  And they eat peanutbutter-stuffed cotton candy and fruit salad with ranch dressing (giggle giggle giggle).  Then they go on rides: peanutbutter horses, where you get to squirt ketchup at each other.  The next ride is the chocolate caramel running track where you squirt corn syrup at each other!


Breaktime!!!!!!


Caramel popcorn and icecream infused with ranch dressing for a quick snack (giggle giggle giggle:)

Time to head back to the campsite; they thought it would be fun to eat the whole car!  And because that wasn't enough, they ate their camper too!

And now they have the hiccups (hiccup, hiccup, hiccup:)

Oh, and now they have nowhere to sleep, hmmmmmm.

Clearly, with no camping gear left, it's time to head home.  And they had to take the trolley:D

The End

"Story" of the week: Our Amazing Human Bodies, and the Things We Do

 

As promised, we are going to *attempt* to create a story each week, where I pick a general topic.

Unfortunately, our goals fell short of what most would define as an actual "story."  Rather, we have a topic, followed by some statements and observations by the girls.  There is a topic: the body.  However, we lack characters, settings, plot, conflict, and theme---so I guess we failed to write a story.  I'm not sure if we're ready to move beyond the world of mermaids yet.  But I know we'll get there.  Anyway, here is what we did produce--ideas--and I'm good with the girls learning how to brainstorm and produce ideas and working with their streams of consciousness---keep those creative juices flowing!

 

Miss Angel:
I like to stick my arms out, and stretch them!
I like waterfalls; they feel good on my body.
I like to think about words and letters and birthday cakes (because the cakes are yummy!)
I like to stand on a stool; I feel TALL!
I like to play.

 I like to go under the water, put my feet up and flip over, when in the pool.
I want to go to outerspace and see aliens!

 I would like to be a flower girl in a wedding, throwing flowers, wearing a pretty white dress.

 When I grow up, I'm going to be a rockstar, on stage; playing guitar and singing!

   Fairy Girl:

I like to put my body in the water, for swimming.

I like to put food in my body: broccoli; breakfast pizza; and I like to drink water.

I like to keep my body healthy.

I like to do cart wheels.

I want to fly.

I like to exercise.

I like a comfy seat for my body.

I like to watch a rainbow and maybe find a pot of gold with my eyes.  I'd like to find a beautiful rainbow that stays forever.  I will find a pot of gold and go to the grocery store everyday!

**note from the editor: last but not least: look at these marvelous creations of art my girls created with their bodies:)

A Little Girl Goes on A Swing

My Little Angel has decided she'd like to start writing and illustrating her own stories. This is her first story:

Once there was a little girl who sat on a swing. Her name was Samantha. The swingset also had a club house and it was made out of wood. Samantha climbed into the clubhouse and had fun. She played with the steering wheel. Then, she went inside the house to eat lunch. She ate a sandwich with cheese, mayonnaise, and lettuce. Then she went outside again to play on her swingset. Samantha climbed up into her clubhouse to write a letter to her friend Collasa. In her letter, Samantha thanked Collasa for the wonderful swingset she gave to her for her 18^th birthday. After she wrote the letter, Samantha drew a picture of a horse. Then it was night and she went to bed. When Samantha woke up in the morning, she went out to her swingset again!

THE END