Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival for March 2-15

It's time for another round of the Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival. (Don't you wish real carnivals came around as often as this one?) I'm very excited to be hosting this again. It's so much fun to read all of the different things families are doing together. I learn so much! SO off we go for our first stop...

Curriculum

lindafay shares with us a breakdown of her HEO year 9 curriculum at Charlotte Mason Help: House of Education Year 9 Breakdown Book by Book posted at Charlotte Mason Help.  This is a great place to glean ideas!

"When you first look at the list, you may feel overwhelmed and intimidated. Please don't be. A mother does not need to have an extensive understanding of this time period in order to supervise her student, but can learn right alongside. "

On my own blog, I have posted my plans to plan our new school year. You can read about it at Looking to the Future: A New School Year .

"...I honestly would love to plan out the entire 13 weeks of a term. However, I am realistic and know that life doesn't always cooperate with my plans."

History
Jill is sharing the joy she and her children are experiencing while studying the ancients. Drop in on her post at Wonderful History located at Children in the Midst. I'm sure we can all relate to the great fun in learning that she is having with her children and that deep satisfaction at knowing what we're doing is worthwhile!

"They love learning about the Greek gods and the heroes of Greek mythology. Yet, they know also that these are myths, fairy-tales if you will. "

Reading, Literature and Narration

What would the carnival be without a stop at Harmony Art Mom? Barb-Harmony Art Mom presents "Thinking is Inseparable From Reading". I really do love this post because it reflects my thoughts exactly. Our goal is to develop in our children the habit of reading and thinking. Barb discusses Commonplace Books.

"We are not asking them to answer a preset list of questions but rather to have them read, think, digest, and then tell back in some way what they learned. "

*Kris* posted Flowchart Notes at Science of Relations. This is a neat little idea for those who, like us, do an eclectic sort of Charlotte Mason.  While some may use lapbooking or notebooking, this is an idea for using flowcharts in your narration! Go check it out. One never knows what they can use once they find it.

"It is more in depth than a single picture narration and yet not as extensive as a lapbook."

Our next stop is at Sage Parnassus. Nancy presents Great Books and Great Ideas - Why Bother? in which she shares a jaw-dropping moment regarding literature and a guest in her home. We who use the Charlotte Mason method recognize that it's an advance method of learning and that we read more books and better quality books than systems of education offer us. This simply confirms what we already know.

"An amazing characteristic of books with ideas is that you will go back to them over and over again."

And for the truly eclectic...COOTIE CATCHERS! Yeah! I know. When I saw the title, my first thought was "wha...???" Rachel shows us how she's using cootie catchers for learning-to-read at Learning to Read with a Cootie Catcher. Evidently she got the idea from Jimmie and posted at quirkymomma.com.

"Do you remember Cootie Catchers from when you were a kid? I loved them! Here is a cootie catcher perfect for the learning to read kiddo in your life! "

Dana addresses one of the little-understood and controversial points of a Charlotte Mason education in her post at Charlotte Mason’s Controversial Method of (Not) Teaching Composition posted at Epi Kardia.  I think this is a good-read for both veterans and novices to the method!

"One can’t underestimate what young children learn and absorb through hearing and reading top quality literature..."

Nature Study

In our Nature Study section, we'll pop over to A Dusty Frame where we have a post from Lizzie of  Little House Nature Study. She shares with us how the literature her family was reading led to a nature study. 

“Oh what a wild, beautiful prairie! Mary sighed with happiness.”

Naomi created a post in which she shares her local Charlotte Mason group's recent nature study. (I must say, I'm a bit jealous that there are other CM'ers in her life! We do this gig alone!)  Anyway, hop on over to Living Charlotte Mason in California and vist her post at Nature Study Days where you'll find some lovely pictures of what looks like a really fun day!

"They find things that are beautiful to them and keep ever growing collections of their treasures."

Speaking of nature clubs. Here is a post from Melissa on exactly that.. How to Start a Nature Club appears at In The Sparrows Nest.  I actually did this recently but haven't pulled together the details. What a timely post!

"Our nature club was a huge success last year and I truly loved leading it."

Now to visit Barb-Harmony Art Mom. She is updating us on her Backyard Bird Count! Visit the post at  Bird Week: Start of the Great Backyard Bird Count posted at Handbook of Nature Study and gain some information on a few of the birds they've spotted!

"Here is a short video that has our resident titmouse singing us a song from the top of a tree. He has so much sound for such a little guy. " 

Melissa posts her thoughts, reflections and ideas on March and the coming of spring. I'm definitely going to re-read this post! Visit her at March Nature Notables posted at In The Sparrows Nest.

"March means that spring is well on it’s way!"

Amanda-Hearts and Trees has some nature study pdf files to share with us! Go check them out at Free Download PDF Links posted at Hearts and Trees.

"Be sure to check out all my nature walk worksheets."

Handicrafts and Life Skills
keri@SunnyScholars shares a few pics on cooking at Life Skills posted at Sunny Scholars.

"Thus in a small way, whatever the children do is laying the foundation for future training and usefulness."

Geography

Tiana Krenz shares a post, The Whole World In His Hands, at God Made, Home Grown.  It's very interesting how casual conversations lead to so much learning. In this case, their globe has become the center of many learning experiences.

"Yes! This is why I do this! This is why I homeschool!"

Habit Training
Melissa shares with us her frustrations and outlook on "Education is an Atmosphere in her post at the atmosphere of home...and a moment on the floor posted on Bugs, Knights, and Turkeys in the Yard. I think we've probably all been here but I do have to say I learned a deeper meanting to the word "atmosphere" in reading this.

"For all that I love about our atmosphere, I also see a few areas that need MUCHO work! "

Cindy @ Fenced in Family confesses to us her family's bad habits. It appears she recently discovered SCM and is working on changing habits. Yes, once the children are well-developed in their bad habits, it seems a daunting process! Go visit her post at Cultivating Habits posted at Fenced in Family to learn how she's tacking habit in her home.

"That truth of my ‘confessions’ is that my entire family has developed a wide array of bad habits."

Workboxes
For those who have adapted the workbox system to your Charlotte Mason education (or even if you haven't!), you may find this a resource for you. I recently started the workbox system. We're still tweaking a bit.  Thus another resource is always welcome! Go visit Angie B.'s post, A Typical Charlotte Mason Workbox Home School Day for us posted at TheOneThing.

"The beauty of it is I may be taking 10-20 mins each day to set them up for the next but that is precious time I am saving during the next school day. "

Commentary
Finally we visit Shannon at Mountaineer Country.  In her post,  Don't forget about Mother Culture!, she gives some great advice on how to avoid Homeschool Burnout.

"Yes, I'm a wife and I'm a mom, but I'm also an "I". "

Anna presents to us How we cured our son?s ADHD posted at Sacred Appetite.  She explains her journey with a son who was being diagnosed with many ailments and how a Charlotte Mason education was actually just what the doctor prescribed!!

"The purpose is to foster the child’s innate appetite and natural affinity for knowledge and learning rather than intellectual force feeding of boring materials by use of manipulation and external motivators (such as grades or rewards)."

Angie in GA shares her ideas on what a "thinking love" is and how she wants to adapt it to her life. Visit her at Mother?s Owe a ?Thinking Love? to their children!! posted at Habits for a Happy Home.

"A Mother’s role in their child’s life is so very important and I need to treat it as such. "

Happy Homeschooling!
Michelle