printables

Shape of the Week Program

April 11, 2017 By Valerie Mcclintick Leave a Comment

Shape-of-the-Week covers 10 different shapes over a 10-week period. Each week includes 4-days of activities and hands-on learning designed to keep little minds engaged. This curriculum is print-&-go, meaning you can print it out, place it in a three-ring binder, and everything is presented in the order needed during the 10-week program. Best of all this set coordinates with our Letter of the Week Alphabet Curriculum!

Shape of the Week Program

4 Days a Week for 10 Weeks

Coordinates with our Letter of the Week Program

Letter of the Week Preschool Curriculum

August 23, 2015 By Valerie Mcclintick 1 Comment

It’s ready!

I’ve been working on this curriculum ALL Summer…..

This is MONTHS of hard work poured into 650+ pages of Letter of the Week activities.

Our Alphabet Curriculum Notebook gives you an instant Letter of the Week Binder and is designed for Preschool and K4 students.

It’s massive, but it’s designed to be low prep, low ink and perfect for the busy mom who is looking for structure.

Honestly, there is just way too much to list (25 pages for each letter), and I’m working on a post to tell you all about it, but for now you can read our product page, view photos and samples in our eStore.

This will be the core of our curriculum for my K4 child this year, so I’m sure you’ll hear lots about it as we work our way through.

For now check it out in our eStore!

Learn to Read with a Bible

June 1, 2015 By Valerie Mcclintick 7 Comments

Teaching your child to read is one of the most difficult but rewarding tasks of Homeschooling.

Starting with read alouds when children are very young builds many pre-reading skills that will set the foundation for your child’s reading career. As far as teaching a child to read, the best thing you can do with your child is read to them!

I’m currently teaching my third child to read so I’ve had ample opportunity to try out different reading curiculums and online software, some of which I couldn’t live without, but today I wanted to highlight some of my favorite Bible resources for learning to read.

Learn-to-Read Bible by Heather Gemmen

Who is this for? This Learn to Read Bible is for a child who is just starting to master letter sounds and blends. The child may or may not have memorized a few sight words, but they are showing readiness to move beyond letter sounds and into blending words.

Why use this Bible? Each page is filled with full color illustrations that will draw your young child into God’s word. Below the colorful pictures are two new words for children to learn, followed by three or four short sentences for children to read. The font is bold and easy to read, with the new words in a different color. Many pages contain short follow up questions you can ask your child after the reading.

How to use this Bible to Learn to Read: For each day teach your child the two new vocabulary words. Introduce the words to your child then work together to read the days reading, emphasizing the new words as you read. If your child is just starting to read words you might read the page first, moving your finger underneath each word accordingly. Next, read the page with your child. Again, as you read with your child hold your finger underneath each word you are reading and slowly sound out the letters together, blending the sounds to form the word. Slow and steady is the goal, it might take the entire lesson to read the first page and that is okay. After blending the word be sure to “recap” what you are reading to keep the words in context and move the story along. You might ask your child to copy their new words into a notebook, and choose a sentence to use as copywork and handwriting for the day.

Here is a free copywork page you can use specifically with this Learn to Read Bible. This would make a simple follow up to your short daily lessons. Children write their two new vocabulary words into the blank frames. Then using the Learn to Read Bible as a source, they can copy a sentence with one of their new words onto their paper. Children can then follow up by writing something they learned about God from the story. The Learn to Read Bible is very good at keeping God the center of the storyline, children will easily find sentences in their reading such as, “God is great,” “God does not lie,” “God was with them,” and “God had a plan.” Pages that don’t include such sentences provide children with an opportunity to dig deeper into the story to determine what they can learn about God from the days passage. You might even have children read their responses to you afterwards to reinforce reading and editing skills.

For children who are ready, you can expand these daily readings with Rocket Readers Bible Stories.

Each level includes multiple books for children to read with a specific goal in mind. For example Level 1 Rocket Readers work on alphabet sounds and beginning sight words, Level 2 teaches letter combinations, Level 3 brings in beginning writing skills…..etc. These books are small but provide children with a sense of accomplishment and don’t overwhelm the early reader.

Once your child can read more than a few sentences at a time, you might consider The Early Reader’s Bible. It was also one of our favorites and with the vocabulary word bank and follow up questions it’s very easy to transition your child to this next level.

Math Master Printable Chart

May 31, 2012 By Valerie Mcclintick 5 Comments

Just popping in with an easy Summer School FREEBIE for you!

My children recently finished up State testing,
and while they each passed (phew)
one of the things I noticed was the lack of SPEED
with which they attacked the math portion of the test.

And can I just say for a moment that:
It’s wonderful to be allowed to WATCH your children take a test!

btw-That is NOT my kid taking a test.
That is a picture of a kid taking a test that I found on the internet.
I certainly would not hound my children with a poloroid moment mid-test.

But there is really something to be learned about (unobtrusively) watching
the way your child processes and manages everything you’ve (hopefully) drilled
into their little brain.

So I was excited for such an opportunity, and as I saw focus and progress,
and clicking of next pages I was reassured in my ability to actually teach at home.
It was great.

HOWEVER.

When the Math portion of the test came around…
I was a tad disappointed to see lots of finger counting and (gasp) calculator clicking
(which apparently they allow for some reason now? Was it always like this?)
Ack! I was cringing. It was a classic pride before the fall double whammy.

Doubts crept in.
Didn’t they already learn this?
I know I taught them this.
I thought we had it covered?
Must we go back again?

So this Summer we will AGAIN be reviewing Math facts.

I found THIS GREAT WEBSITE for printing up some drill sheets.

And I whipped up this Math Master Printable Chart.
(There is no better motivation then positive/intrinsic I say!)

We’ll be attacking this DAILY, with the goal of increasing ACCURACY & SPEED
and WE WILL PREVAIL!

And TELL me I’m not the only one here!

What have you taught your children over and over and over and….

(you know…..besides not to Hit their brothers)

Valentine’s Day Card Craft

January 26, 2012 By Valerie Mcclintick 8 Comments

Don’t you just LOVE Pinterest?

I love that you can follow people and see THEIR pins,
and then “repin” it to your own boards.

A virtual “To-Do” cork board of that never runs out of space!

Anyway, this week I saw these adorable Secret Valentines,
and I was inspired to make our own version:

These would be super simple for even very young children to make.

First print up the template and have them color in the cross with a white crayon.

Just to see how it worked, I did one with crayon and one with oil pastel

Then you just make stripes across your paper.
All the while using language like “long strokes” “blending” “overlapping”
(You get the picture right?)

Fill up those hearts till their full of color!
(idea: Maybe use the salvation colors too)

Cut and trim away the extra paper.
Have children pastes these to a card or write a message or bible verse on the back. I’m sure these would look wonderful glued to those little paper heart doilies you can get at the Dollar Store!

If you want to make your own, I’ve posted the template on our sister site ChristianPreschoolPrintables.com. There is a BW & Color version.

Moses Bible Printables

January 5, 2012 By Valerie Mcclintick 5 Comments

This week we’re studying the life of Moses.

Using The Mystery of History as our guide, and reading directly from our family bible, we have spent our afternoons immersed in the life of this interesting, and very human man named Moses.

My children (and I) have been enraptured by the way God revealed himself to Moses, and the amazing miracles that were witnessed by so many. It is the ultimate adventure story.

I whipped up a few notebooking pages to go alongside our studies, and I’ve added them to our History Visuals pages.

Click Here for our Life of Moses History Printables

These are listed as the newest additions to our History Printables.

I’ve also made a few NEW file folder games that would go perfectly alongiside a Moses unit study.

Click Here for our Preschool Moses Printables
Click Here for our K-5 Moses Printables

And for your little tots, here is a simple bible verse and new vocabulary word to introduce.

Click here for our John 14:15 Bible Verse Printables

It’s my hope that you’ll be able to put these resources to good use in your home too!

Warhol & Pollock

March 27, 2011 By Valerie Mcclintick 1 Comment

I just finished uploading two more of our Famous Artist Crafts!

Jackson Pollock

This was a well loved activity for my kids,
they loved blowing with the straws!
Me? I wan’t really into passing out
for an art project, but they were in dizzy oblivion.

andy warhol craft for kids

Andy Warhol

These were really fun, Sissy enjoyed this a bit more then Bub,
who found it daunting to color in one color for each open space.

I included some fun Warhol printables,
you can snag the boy & the girl as well as
some adorable cupcakes or some sneakers!

Older children can design their own!

Eveything is uploaded to our Famous Artist Craft Section!

PSSST…. Here’s a sneak peak at who’s coming next:

Stay Tuned!

Coming Up in March…

February 26, 2011 By Valerie Mcclintick Leave a Comment

We’ve got a busy Spring planned here at The Crafty Classroom!

Here’s a look at what’s currently on the docket:

Teach Me Joy Giveaway

Toy Boxes & More Giveaway

Timberdoodle Review

Homeschool Recon
(I have much to share already!)

Writing Printables
(These are in the works!)

Stay Tuned or Subscribe for Updates!

Did you see? I’m TOT-ally famous!

June 16, 2010 By Valerie Mcclintick Leave a Comment

Did you see my next project yet?

Click Here to read all about it…..

I’m so excited to finally get to work on a project with my bloggy friend Carisa and her amazing calling to help the homeschool community with Christ focused materials.

I promise to try not to lag on this blog too much….but have you heard the adorable music?

I might not be back for a while……. ;)

Owl Pellet Activity

February 19, 2010 By Valerie Mcclintick 3 Comments

How can we learn about owls without dissecting some Owl puke?

I know right….we’d be kicked out of the Homeschool Co-op if we tried to pull a stunt like that!

(snicker)

Actually, we didn’t dissect “real” owl puke, we used the synthetic stuff.

We learned just as much about the dietary needs of owls, and I didn’t have to scream at my children for rubbing their eyes while dissecting.

Though I did startle the boy when I noticed him putting the bird beak in his mouth…..totally freaky

(Don’t worry…..I made him puke it up……like an owl…….there is no need to call CPS)

owl pellet experiment notes

Anyway, I made a printable book to go along with the Owl Pellet Dissection, and it’s now up on the site with photo instructions for how to dissect your own owl pellet.

(Thrilling stuff isn’t it)

Trust me, the kids love it.

CCBlogSig

Science Printables

November 3, 2009 By Valerie Mcclintick Leave a Comment

Today I made a couple of custom science worksheets that we plan on using this week. There are two different ones:

homeschool printables

Moldy Pumpkin Experiment
(we got the fantastic idea from this website)

Homeschool printables
How Much Does it Weigh?
(which I designed for my Preschooler to use so he can draw a picture of the item instead of writing the word).