I use Festivals, Family, and Food by Diane Carey and All Year Round by Ann Druitt for seasonal crafts and festival ideas for solstice and Michaelmas, etc. We do wet-on-wet watercolor painting once a week. First grade is when Waldorf schools begin teaching knitting, so if that is a talent you or someone you know has, you may wish to add that handcraft to your child's year.

My seven-year old is also very sensitive. Like your son, he has never minded "scenes of predation", but suspenseful scenes in which an animal or person is in danger or in which people are being mean to animals or people, are really traumatic for him. I think he views the former as part of the nature of things and the latter as unnatural and just plain wrong so the one is acceptable and the other is frightening in its unpredictability. You may wish to learn a few stories to tell him while you nurse the baby. I would stick with simple, sequential stories, like The Enormous Turnip or Grimm's Sweet Porridge, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Little Louse and Little Flea, The Little Red Hen, etc. You may also want to try some picture books by Sibylle von Olffers or the Tiptoes Lightly books by Reg Down. We also read the Clare Dillingham Pierson series of "Among the . . . People" books and my boys enjoyed them. House at Pooh Corner, Mr. Popper's Penguins were enjoyed here by my sensitive boys. ETA: We are also fans of Frog and Toad and the Burgess books. Perhaps there are some of the Burgess books that he would like better than others? The Burgess Bird Book, Animal Book and Seashore Book are pretty straightforward and more "just the facts" than the "Adventures" books, so they may work better for your little man.

My plan for composer study: Week 1 through Week 6: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Week 1 Listen to http://www.classicsforkids.com/shows/showdesc.asp?id=65 Listen to Piano Concerto, 20 and Eine Kleine Nachtmusik Read Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Composers: Mozart by Mike Venezia Week 2 Read Young Mozart by Rachel Isadora and Mozart the Wonder Boy by Opal Wheeler Listen to Symphony Number 40 Week 3 Read Who Was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart? by Yona Zeldis McDonagh Listen to Quintet in A major for clarinet Week 4 Read Play, Mozart, Play! by Peter Sis and Mozart by Ann Rachlin Listen to Piano sonata 11 in A major, K. 331 Week 5 Read Mozart Finds a Melody by Stephen Costanza and The Cat Who Loved Mozart by Patricia Austin Listen to Concerto for bassoon and orchestra in B-flat major, K. 191 and Flute Concerto in D Week 6 Listen to http://www.classicsforkids.com/shows/showdesc.asp?id=207 Listen to a recording of the Magic Flute and to Mozart’s Magic Fantasy Read The Magic Flute by Kyra Teis and selected operas Mozart operas from Sing Me a Story: The Metropolitan Opera’s Book of Opera Stories for Children by Jane Rosenberg. *Mozart’s Magnificent Voyage would make good quiet time listening for this study. Week 7 through Week 12: Frederic Chopin Week 7 Listen to http://www.classicsforkids.com/shows/showview.asp?ID=13 Listen to Op 09 no 2 Nocturne in E flat major Read Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Composers: Chopin by Mike Venezia Week 8 Listen to Op 10 no 3 Etude in E-major Read Frederic Chopin, Son of Poland, Early Years by Opal Wheeler Week 9 Listen to Op 10 no 12 Revolutionary Etude in C minor Read Frederic Chopin, Son of Poland, Later Years by Opal Wheeler Week 10 Listen to Op 21 Piano Concerto number 2 in f minor Listen to The Story of Chopin in Words and Music by Arthur Hannes & Ingrid Haebler Week 11 Listen to Op 28 Preludes no's 15, 20 and either 16 or 17 Read Chopin by Ann Rachlin Week 12 Listen to Op 53 Polonaise in A flat, Heroic Week 13 through Week 18: Benjamin Britten Week 13 Listen to http://www.classicsforkids.com/shows/showview.asp?ID=8 and Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra Use Anita Ganeri book and recording as well as Leonard Bernstein’s recording. Week 14 Listen to Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra Week 15 Listen to Cello Suites, Nos. 1-3 Week 16 Listen to Simple Symphony Read Week 17 Listen to Ceremony of Carols Week 18 Listen to Ceremony of Carols Week 19 through Week 24: Claude Debussy Week 19 Listen to http://www.classicsforkids.com/shows/showview.asp?ID=21 Listen to Prelude to the Afternoon of the Faun Read Claude Debussy by Pierre Babin Week 20 Listen to La Mer Read Composer’s World – Claude Debussy by Wendy Thompson Week 21 Listen to The Girl with the Flaxen Hair (from Preludes) Watch What Is Impressionism?, Leonard Bernstein Young People’s Concerts Week 22 Listen to Suite Bergamasqe (includes Claire de Lune) Week 23 Listen to Children's Corner Week 24 Listen to Jeux ("Games"); a "danced poem" intended to accompany a ballet Week 25 through Week 30: Franz Schubert Week 25 Listen to http://www.classicsforkids.com/shows/showview.asp?ID=25 Listen to Trout Quintet Read Franz Schubert and His Merry Friends by Opal Wheeler Week 26 Listen to Symphony No. 8 ("Unfinished") Read Franz Schubert by Paue du Bouchet Week 27 Listen to Symphony No. 9 ("The Great") Week 28 Listen to Symphony No. 9 ("The Great") Week 29 Listen Impromptus op. 90 (D. 899) Week 30 Listen to Die Schone Mullerin (a song cycle) Week 31 through Week 36: Georges Bizet Week 31 Listen to http://www.classicsforkids.com/shows/showview.asp?ID=28 Listen to Jeux d'enfants, op. 22 Week 32 Listen to The Pearl Fishers* Week 33 Listen to Carmen* Week 34 Listen to Carmen* Week 35 Listen to L’Arlesienne* Week 36 Listen to L’Arlesienne* *Use Greatest Hits: Bizet, New York Philharmonic conducted by Leonard Bernstein.

This is my artist study plan for this school year. We do a different artist every six weeks. Each week, we read a bio or picture book and study one work of art which is posted in our school room for the week. We also do one or two projects that are inspired by the artist's work. My kids are little, but I think may of the book choices could work for an older elementary-aged kiddo. Artist Study 2013-2014 School Year Weeks 1 through 6: Pablo Picasso Week 1 Read Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists: Picasso by Mike Venezia Picture Study: The Gourmet (The White Child) (1901) Watch video slideshow of paintings from blue period Week 2 Read Picasso and the Girl with the Ponytail by Laurence Anholt and What Makes a Picasso a Picasso? by Richard Muhlberger Picture Study: The Old Guitarist (1903) Project: One Color Painting (from Discovering Great Artists by MaryAnn F. Kohl and Kim Solga) Week 3 Read Who Was Pablo Picasso by True Kelly Picture Study: Garcon a la Pipe (1905) Watch video slideshow of paintings from the rose period Week 4 Read Pablo Picasso Breaking All the Rules (Barron’s Educational Series) Picture Study: Weeping Woman (1937) Week 5 Read Just Behave, Pablo Picasso by Jonah Winter and Oooh! Picasso by Mil Niepold Picture Study: Puchinello with a Guitar (1920) Project: Clown Collage (from The Usborne Art Treasury by Rosie Dickins) Week 6 Read Picasso and Minou by P.I. Maltbie Picture Study: Dora Maar Seated (1937) Project: Fractured Friend (from Discovering Great Artists by MaryAnn F. Kohl and Kim Solga) Weeks 7 through 12: Henri Matisse Week 7 Read Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists: Matisse by Mike Venezia Picture Study: Les toits de Collioure (1905) Week 8 Read A Bird or Two by Bijou leTourd Picture Study: Red Room (Harmony in Red) (1908) Week 9 Read Colorful Dreamer by Marjorie Blaine Parker Picture Study: The Dance (1909) Week 10 Picture Study: Music (1910) Project: Story Color Collage (from Discovering Great Artists by MaryAnn Kohl and Kim Solga) Week 11 Picture Study: The Goldfish (1910) Project: Oil Pastel and Watercolor Resist Week 12 Read Henri Matisse: Drawing with Scissors by Jane O’Connor Picture Study: The Sorrows of the King (1952) Project: Colorful Collage (from The Usborne Art Treasury by Rosie Dickins) Weeks 13 through 18: Paul Klee Week 13 Read Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists: Klee by Mike Venezia Picture Study: Blumenmythos (1918) Week 14 Picture Study: Senecio (1922) Week 15 Picture Study: Red Balloon (1922) Week 16 Picture Study: Insula Dulcamara (1929) Project: One Line Designs (from Discovering Great Artists by MaryAnn kohl and Kim Solga) Week 17 Picture Study: der Goldfish (1925) Project: Project: Magical Creatures (from The Usborne Art Treasury by Rosie Dickins) Week 18 Read The Cat and the Bird by Geraldine Elschner Picture Study: Highways and Byways (1929) Weeks 19 through 24: Camille Pissarro and Mary Cassatt Week 19 Read Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists: Camille Pissarro by Mike Venezia Picture Study: Orchard in Bloom, Louveciennes (1872) Week 20 Picture Study: The Harvest (1882) Week 21 Picture Study: Children on a Farm (1887) Project: Pointillist Color Cards (from Discovering Great Artists by MaryAnn Kohl and Kim Solga) Week 22 Read Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists: Mary Cassatt by Mike Venezia Picture Study: Children on the Beach (1884) Week 23 Read Mary Cassatt: Family Pictures by Jane O’Connor Picture Study: The Boating Party (1893-94) Week 24 Read Mary Cassatt: Impressionist Painter by Lois Harris Picture Study: Summertime (1894) Project: Tempera Monoprint (from Discovering Great Artists by MaryAnn Kohl and Kim Solga) Weeks 25 through 30: Marc Chagall Week 25 Read Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists: Chagall by Mike Venezia Picture Study: Concert (1957) Week 26 Read A Picture for Marc by Eric A. Kimmel Picture Study: Mariee (1950) Week 27 Read Dreamer from the Village by Michelle Markel Picture Study: I and the Village (1911) Project: Daydreaming with Chagall (drawing with pencil and marker project) Week 28 Read I Am Marc Chagall by Bimba Landmann Picture Study: The Birthday (1915) Week 29 Read What Color Is Paradise? by Elizabeth Lemke Picture Study: The Circus Horse (1964) Week 30 Read Journey on a Cloud by Veronique Massenot Picture Study: Four Seasons (outdoor mosaic mural in Chicago) Project: Scenery Mural (from Discovering Great Artists by MaryAnn Kohl and Kim Solga) Weeks 31 through 36: Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo Week 31 Read Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists: Diego Rivera by Mike Venezia Picture Study: Peasants (1931) Project: Choose something out of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera: Their Lives and Ideas, 24 Activities (For Kids series) by Carol Sabbeth Week 32 Read Diego Rivera: His World and Ours by Duncan Tonatiuh and Diego by Jonah Winter and Jeannette Winter Picture Study: The Flower Carrier (1935) Project: Choose something out of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera: Their Lives and Ideas, 24 Activities (For Kids series) by Carol Sabbeth Week 33 Read Diego Rivera, An Artist for the People by Susan Goldman Rubin Picture Study: Detroit Industry, South Wall (1933) Project: Choose something out of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera: Their Lives and Ideas, 24 Activities (For Kids series) by Carol Sabbeth Week 34 Read Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists: Kahlo by Mike Venezia Picture Study: Rivera and Kahlo (1931) Project: Choose something out of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera: Their Lives and Ideas, 24 Activities (For Kids series) by Carol Sabbeth Week 35 Read Frida by Jonah Winter and Frida Kahlo (Artists in Their Time) by Jill A. Laidlaw Picture Study: The Two Fridas (1939) Project: Choose something from Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera: Their Lives and Ideas, 24 Activities (For Kids series) by Carol Sabbeth Week 36 Read Frida Kahlo: The Artist Who Painted Herself (Smart About Art) by Margaret Frith and Tomie dePaola and Me, Frida by Amy Novesky and David Diaz Picture Study: Self-Portrait with Necklace (1933) Project: Self Portrait (from Discovering Great Artists by MaryAnn Kohl and Kim Solga)

The night before the birthday child's birthday, I recite this poem with his current age and age-to-be in the morning. When I have brushed my teeth, And my blanket I've gone beneath, And mother switches off the light, I'll still be 5 years old tonight. But from the very break of day, Before the children rise and play, Before the darkness turns to gold, Tomorrow, I'll be 6 years old. 6 kisses when I wake, 6 candles on my cake. A goodnight kiss for the 5 year old To send you to sleep and to dreaming. And blessings on the 6 year old Who'll climb out of bed in the morning. The birthday child wakes and comes downstairs where I have set the table and there is some small toy beside his plate and the plates of his sibs (small dinos from my dino-crazed boy, foam gliders for my aviation-obsessed kiddo, etc.). We eat a birthday-child selected breakfast and the birthday child gets to pick the cake and what we have for dinner. We also have a birthday ring to which a new ornament is added each year -- we got ours at Wooden Wagon online. At dinner, we tell stories of the birthday child's arrival and about the child from the past year, emphasizing areas of growth or things we enjoyed from the year. We're birthday-crazy here!

Last year, with my four-year-old and my six-year-old, we read several picture books, such as If You Lived in Colonial Times by Ann McGovern, and the Verla Kay books Homespun Sarah and Hornbooks and Inkwells. We also read the Betsy Maestro books, but they may be a bit much for a young 5-year-old. You could check them out of your library to preview. We did many crafts and activities from Colonial Days: Discover the Past with Fun Projects, Games, Activities, and Recipes by David C. King, including dyeing silks, making quill pens and ink, playing jacks and jackstraws (pick-up-sticks). We also learned some songs like Yankee Doodle and some hymns like We Gather Together. The kids enjoyed making hasty pudding and blueberry slump and homemade cough syrup (lemon and honey). Keeping it light and fun worked for us; she'll learn so much on your trip. What a great opportunity!

Roast Chicken and mashed potatoes and veg Sausages with onions, red bell peppers and potatoes (drizzle over some olive oil and some herbs, bake at 350 for 45 mins) Italian wedding soup made with turkey meatballs Orecchiette with sausage and broccoli rabe Pan-Grilled Beer Marinated Hanger Steak Roasted Shrimp and Orzo

We celebrate the Summer Solstice (just started it off with a sunshiny lemony bundt cake for breakfast), the Winter Solstice, Michaelmas (Sept. 29), spring and autumn equinoxes, St. Lucia Day (December 13), Candlemas (Feb. 2), Chinese New Year, May Day. Whew! Thatsalotta celebrating!

Play silks Sevi City Play Puzzles Learning Resources Super Sorting Pie Homemade play dough and little animals/cars Geometric Sorting board Bead lacing

Today: Chicken Makhani with brown rice and peas with butter and mint Tomorrow: Garlic Pasta with Shrimp and Vegetables Tuesday: Roasted chicken Wednesday: Skillet strip steak with pebre sauce Thursday: Chopped Greek Salad with Chicken (leftover from Tuesday) Friday: Butter Roasted Salmon

We have a world map hanging in our family room, but beyond that, I have a shelving unit in the closet in which we keep our book and on which we keep our supplies (paper, art supplies, pencils, scissors, and whatnot). Each day, I fill a small basket with the books/manipulatives we need and we just travel with that basket wherever we need to be -- in the living room in the early afternoon because there's wonderful light, at the kitchen table as we have snack or to do art projects, to the dining room for lessons and tea, or outdoors for lessons on a blanket on the lawn. We also do have a small easel with a whiteboard on it that kind of migrates depending on where we need it. But otherwise, our house doesn't scream, "We homeschool!"

Thank you all for responding! Your responses have been so helpful. We're looking forward to spending a special day with a dear family.

My family is Roman Catholic and we have never been to an LDS baptism before. We have become very close to an LDS family through our small co-op. The oldest girl in the family is being baptized this weekend. She is really excited to have her friends be part of her special day, especially since they are moving across the country in a couple of months. So, wise Hive-people, what should I know about the ceremony, etiquette, gifts/no gifts, suggestions for gifts? Thanks in advance!

These interactions with DS1 prompted my DH to ask me, jokingly, "What are you teaching them?" It's a regular question around here. I went shopping with my toddler while DH and DS1 dropped DS2 off at music class one Saturday morning. DS1 and DH spent music class at a coffee shop. When they picked me up from the shops, DS1 greeted me with, "Hi, Mom! Dad and I talked about the speed of light at the coffee shop today!" My DH confirmed that he was really interested in the subject and asked a ton of questions. Luckily, DH has a science background and can speak fluently about physics. DS1 also just made paper tails for each member of the household (don't ask me why, I'm sure I don't know) -- and each tail had written on it, "To (name of person) TM" along with some other designs. DH asked, "What's this TM here?" DS1 said, "Oh. That stands for trademark. See that little green dot by your name? I trademarked it. No other tail can have that mark on it." And I totally relate to all of your stories about your kiddos's love of the ancients. I cannot count how many times my boys have monopolized the dinner conversation, regaling DH with stories of ancient civilizations. It's such fertile ground for their imaginations.

For our two-year old's party which lasted from 2-4 (with most people leaving a little after 5), we had a spread of pita chips and hummus, chips with guac and salsa, fruit platter, mozzarella with basil and tomato and whole wheat baguette, some brie and some veggie chips. The biggest hits were the mozzarella platter and the fruit. We didn't have much of anything leftover at the end of the party though! We served cupcakes and ice cream and had pink lemonade and mint iced tea for beverages.

My almost-two-year old and I just had this conversation: Me: The day before Easter, we will hard boil a bunch of eggs and dip them in dye to make them turn really pretty colors. And we'll set them out along with our Easter baskets. Then while we're sleeping, the Easter Bunny will come and -- DD: He eat all the eggs up! Me: Uh. No. He, um, he actually, he hides them for us to find. Then you know what he does? DD: Peter Rabbit play in our yard. Granny Fox try to catch him. Me: Uh. No, actually he puts chocolate and jelly beans in your basket. Well, when she puts it like that, it all sounds like crazy talk, doesn't it? On St. Patrick's day morning, my six-year old said "To catch the leprechauns next year, we should leave Guinness in the trap." Before I could get too upset about whatever ethnic stereotypes he's been exposed to, he added, "It has a gold harp on the bottle, so they would be attracted to that." Whew! My six-year-old again: DS: Mama, I need some fabric so I can sew a pouch for glitter. Me: What? DS: I just want to fill a pouch with glitter and carry it with me. Everyone loves glitter. And besides, if a room is too dark, you can smear glue on the walls and add glitter so you get more reflected light. And this from my five-year old: While getting the kids ready for baths, I stepped, with my bare feet, in a puddle just in front of the toilet. As I washed my feet in the sink and as DD spread foaming shampoo all over her dry hair and on her face, I hollered to the last person to use the toilet, DS5, to explain himself. He said, "I'm sorry, mama, but it's hard to aim when you're peeing at top speed."

Sunday: Ratatouille, crusty bread, and salad Monday: Pasta Primavera Tuesday: Zuni Stew (in the crock pot) Wednesday: Spaghetti with clam sauce Thursday: Chicken spezzatino Friday: Habichuelas con dulce, fish, salad

Rice pudding is always a hit here.

We are part of a Waldorf-inspired homeschool cooperative and we just had our information meeting for prospective families during which the teachers talked about what they cover in their grades. In third grade, the Waldorf curriculum focuses on "practical arts", so there is always a study of shelters and houses usually involving the children in building shelters and buildings of different types; the children cook/bake, work with fibers, garden. The stories in third grade focus on those from the Old Testament, but also Native American stories. Math is practical -- measuring, telling time, using money. I, like a pp, suggest that you become a member of Marcia Johnson's Yahoo! group -- waldorfhomeeducators. These links may help as well: http://theparentingpassageway.com/2010/10/30/waldorf-homeschooling-third-grade-first-old-testament-block/ http://www.waldorfcurriculum.com/Curric/class3.html http://millennialchild.wordpress.com/article/the-waldorf-curriculum-grade-three-110mw7eus832b-19/ http://www.mainlesson.com/main/displayarticle.php?article=g3_books Hope this helps!

We've enjoyed the work of the authors the pp listed. In particular, we've enjoyed: Cezanne and the Apple Boy by Laurence Anholt Vivaldi and the Invisible Orchestra by Stephen Costanza Vincent's Colors by Vincent van Gogh Michael the Angel by Laura Fischetto The Julie Merberg and Suzanne Bober board books (In the Garden with van Gogh, Painting with Picasso, Sharing with Renoir, etc.) Linnea in Monet's Garden by Christina Bjork Degas and the Little Dancer by Laurence Anholt Chasing Degas by Eva Montanari Marie in Fourth Position by Amy Littlesugar

We love celebrating St. Patrick's Day. The day before, we usually set up a little leprechaun party site (no trap) outdoors with acorn caps for cups, little rocks and branches for tables and chairs and make a ring of rocks around it. We include berries and clover and trinkets in gold colored foil. In the morning, the treats we left are gone and the leprechauns leave the kids a note. We read St. Patrick's day stories (my kids love A Fine St. Patrick's Day) and eat a fruit rainbow for snack. We listen to Irish music and check out the Irish step-dancing performance at our local library. We go on a four-leaf clover hunt. We usually do some shamrock or rainbow-themed craft too -- like shamrock sun catchers, rainbow kite paper stars, fingerprint shamrocks, etc. We make Irish soda bread and have corned beef and cabbage and sometimes shepherd's pie for dinner. The grown ups all drink Guinness and whiskey; the kids have tea and eat shamrock-shaped cookies. Last year I made a killer Guinness and milk chocolate ice cream. And we always have neighbors over to help us eat all the food and drink all the beer. And we all wear green. It's great fun.

Nothing special -- just penne and meatballs. But our dessert on Valentine's Day always involves cherries. For years, even after we left NYC, we would get a cherry pie from Bubby's Pie Co. This year, I am looking forward to a cherry cheesecake. Happy Valentine's Day, all!

Day 119 here.

You could always make Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic. Delish!

I'm making these from the Happy herbivore cookbook. Bringing up Bebe is a book/memoir of an American mom raising her kids in Paris. It was a quick and entertaining read!