Homeschooling
wifeofadam
member
Holiday Curriculum - Thanksgiving and Advent
wifeofadam
member
I set up our homeschool year so we take off the end of November and all of December up until Christmas. We don't really take that time off - the kids still do their math and phonics work - but we take a break from our MFW curriculum and focus on the holidays for the rest of our work.
I'm putting together my Thanksgiving and Advent units right now, because before I know it the time will be here and I don't want to be rushed.
I was wondering if anyone has any great ideas or resources for Thanksgiving and Advent lessons. Our Thanksgiving unit will last two weeks and we plan to spend a day covering the Mayflower, the Pilgrims, the Native Americans, the First Thanksgiving, Turkeys, and then other fun stuff, as well as doing a 20 days of thankful project. Does anyone know of any good books or videos for kids on any of these topics? Any fun projects?
As far as Advent goes, we have always done a Bible verse a day relating to the Christmas story. Whatever the verse that day is about (angels, shepherds, manger, etc.) we usually do a fun craft or bake something, like Christ's birthday cake, for that day. This year I picked a theme for each of the 24 days that starts with a different letter of the alphabet so we can do review for my middle two. We are going to work on learning Christmas carols that relate to the letter or topic for the day. I'm also teaching the kids one name for Jesus each day that begins with the letter of the day or relates to the Bible verse, and we will make an ornament to put on a mini tree in our foyer. Finally, I have identified a kids' book that relates to each topic and we're going to wrap them up so the kids can unwrap one a day to read before bedtime. Does anyone have any good advent-related videos (besides Veggie Tales - we have all of those)? I found this one last night for our magi day, but I can't find anything else.
I figure if we all start planning now we will have plenty of time to purchase what we need and to get everything ready. I look forward to hearing everyone else's traditions for these holidays relating to your homeschool
I'm putting together my Thanksgiving and Advent units right now, because before I know it the time will be here and I don't want to be rushed.
I was wondering if anyone has any great ideas or resources for Thanksgiving and Advent lessons. Our Thanksgiving unit will last two weeks and we plan to spend a day covering the Mayflower, the Pilgrims, the Native Americans, the First Thanksgiving, Turkeys, and then other fun stuff, as well as doing a 20 days of thankful project. Does anyone know of any good books or videos for kids on any of these topics? Any fun projects?
As far as Advent goes, we have always done a Bible verse a day relating to the Christmas story. Whatever the verse that day is about (angels, shepherds, manger, etc.) we usually do a fun craft or bake something, like Christ's birthday cake, for that day. This year I picked a theme for each of the 24 days that starts with a different letter of the alphabet so we can do review for my middle two. We are going to work on learning Christmas carols that relate to the letter or topic for the day. I'm also teaching the kids one name for Jesus each day that begins with the letter of the day or relates to the Bible verse, and we will make an ornament to put on a mini tree in our foyer. Finally, I have identified a kids' book that relates to each topic and we're going to wrap them up so the kids can unwrap one a day to read before bedtime. Does anyone have any good advent-related videos (besides Veggie Tales - we have all of those)? I found this one last night for our magi day, but I can't find anything else.
I figure if we all start planning now we will have plenty of time to purchase what we need and to get everything ready. I look forward to hearing everyone else's traditions for these holidays relating to your homeschool
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Re: Holiday Curriculum - Thanksgiving and Advent
Last year we told the kids that the elf was in our house to learn about what a Christian is and who Jesus is so he could go back each night to the North Pole and teach his other elf friends. At the end of every day the kids would gather around wherever the elf was in the house and go around teaching him something they had learned about Christ that day during school. Then, on Christmas Eve we send the elf back to the North Pole with our copy of the Christmas story that we had been adding verses to every day of Advent.
I know not everyone does secular Christmas stuff, especially among religious homeschoolers, but if anyone else has good ideas for making the secular stuff more focused on Christ, please share. That is our goal with our kids - since we can't escape the secular stuff, we try to turn the focus on them toward Christ.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,and He shall direct your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6
I actually feel like a slacker wasting naptimes that way when I should put the baby down and clean my house or something
I wrote about how I came up with it here.
Chichigo - Thanks so much! I'll be using that for our Thanksgiving lessons!