Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree~

Today we read Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree after we caught up 4 days of Truth in the Tinsel~

While and after we read, we did lots of talking and retelling of the story... especially the sequence of animals.

I had a little Christmas mouse for us to make.

EK and SJ took the patterns, traced, and made their mouse all on their own.

For the boys, I traced and they cut on the lines.

For Evie, I cut and she glued. :)

When mice were done, we printed a little book of the animals and let them order the pages while I read the book all over again.

We stapled them to the back of their mouse.

 Wanted to mention when we are shopping @ Michaels, I pick up little books of stickers for the kids to use when writing stories in their journals~

After lunch we kept Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree going as I had EK and SJ choose their favorite animal from the story to research~

We read facts online and watched a couple of YouTube videos about their animal.

EK~ Fox

SJ~ Bears

Once they had some information they drew the animal in their journal and wrote some facts.

Super work everyone!!!

This is the Stable~

Today when we finished our fifth day of Truth in the Tinsel EK picked our book of the day...

This is the Stable~

 EK was the reader today and as she read everyone had a turn finding the Christmas story character and adding it to our manger scene.

Great fun matching illustrations and talking in depth about all things baby Jesus!

My very favorite thing to display each Christmas is my Willow Tree Nativity Scene...

and each child sent enjoyed comparing their nativity with the big one~

We keep their scene on the shelf right under the Willow One and they play with it several times a day.

I printed a nativity scene and we moved to the kitchen for some watercolor painting.

{Needed a very low key art activity for today!}

We are memorizing Isaiah 9:6~

For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

A Wish to be a Christmas Tree~

Today we read this sweet story...

A Wish to be a Christmas Tree.

Each day when we read I allow the kids to take a picture walk discussing the illustrations and predict story line.

As we read they fill in words I leave out working on rhyming and comprehension.

 One of favorite things to do is listen for a lesson for life in the story...

Key phrases today~ 

"You are special to us every day of the year,

we would be sad if you weren't always near."

"it wasn't as important to be a Christmas tree,

but to always be the best friend you could be."

HUGE lessons for ALL of us!

I have EK and SJ write about this on an index card and we glue to the back of their art.

Next was our FAV part of the day... ART!

I sketched a loopy tree for them to paint with Qtips.

Then we added the ornaments: foam shapes, sequins, more slick paint, and stickers~

 Everyone was super diligent so they could do more and more and more! 

Beautiful Christmas Trees~

One other thing I do each year is gather small art projects from Target dollar spot or Michaels for the girls to work on~

 They really love making them together and hanging them on their tree in their room~

 A Great Christmas school day!

 

Schooling Through the Holidays~

School was back in session today and we declared it a Christmas in front of the fire on the floor day.

For the month of December, we are changing it up a bit starting with Truth in the Tinsel every morning~

 The first year we did Tinsel I only had EK and SJ so we did the ornament crafts and had a ball.

The next year we had WP and used the pdf ornaments hanging them on indiviual trees but this year I made an executive decision we would use the paper ornaments but glue them in our journals for writing.

I printed each one the ornament this morning (actually 3 since we are starting a little late), each colored while I read the devotional and scripture, then we glued into journals and added a word {3 littles} or scripture {copywork for EK & SJ}. 

We will go through each ornament every day and tell the story of Jesus.

A low key way to celebrate Advent!

I have many Christmas books from my teaching years so we are choosing a new one each day to read and do some sort of art.

Today we read The Christmas Humbugs~

Amazon summary~

 {Christmas is coming but someone is playing tricks! Torn stockings and broken candy canes reveal that The Christmas Humbugs have arrived at this holiday home. But do not fear, lively rhymes and merry illustrations by Colleen and Michael Glenn Monroe lift spirits and let readers know that not even the Humbugs can dampen Christmas cheer.}

 We all traced parts, cut, and assembled our very Christmas Humbug then once dry they all gave me one way they would keep the Humbugs away from our home this season.

We all agreed having school in front of the fire will certainly help!