Calendar Time

Monthly calendar

Once the kids have gotten dressed, made their beds, eaten breakfast, done any chores I need completed, and brushed teeth and hair, THEN we can begin our school time. I’ll call out, “Calendar Time!” and they race to the office. The first thing we do is calendar. If you’ve ever done calendar time with Saxon Math, then you know what we do. We update the dates, discuss the pattern, read the daily sentences, and state the whole date. We do weather next which includes updating the calendar space and filling in the bar graph.

Weather bar graph and 2 of our scriptures we are memorizing, 1 Cor. 13:4-6 and Psalm 23. We've also worked on knowing what the armor of the Lord is and how to put it on.

Weather and Spanish posters

Then each child takes a turn doing something language and math related, ability appropriate of course. RB is working on rhyming families. So I will choose one of the ending families and he will use the alphabet chart to spell the words. Sweet Cheeks is working on identifying the letters in and out of order. On the 100s chart, RB is working on counting by 2s, 5, and 10s. Now that he is beginning addition, I can start having him add on the number line and the 100s chart. Sweet Cheeks is working on counting from 1-20.

Next we work on our scripture memory verses. We say them together and I am amazed at how quickly they pick them up.

At this point, if they are on task and focused, I might pull out some little clocks or clock or money flash cards for practice. At times I plan a simple music lesson.

Number chart and days of the week sentences

And that completes calendar time. At this point the kids race to the living room and hop on the couch because they know Bible time is next. We have a simple devotional and prayer. Then we read one of the Bible story books I have and get into some scripture. We have a prayer time where everyone says a prayer and then I split the kids and do individual work with each child.

It works for us!