mindygz Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 I saw someone's idea of a "Breakfast Board" of things to go over and I know a lot of people do Circle Time. I used to do a morning devotional with my kids and want to start something up again and am just looking for some new and/or fun ideas. I'm thinking we will work on a song and/or poem, some vocabulary, a little bit of geography... Looking forward to hearing your great ideas. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mystie Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 Circle Time is an integral part of our homeschool day. We do all our memory work during the time, as well as prayer and singing and sometimes a group read aloud. I made Circle Time binders for each of my reading kids, and it made it so much easier! Having them repeat after me was like pulling teeth, but having us all read aloud together (or alternate sentences or paragraphs...I try to change things up), really helped improve cooperation. :) The great thing about Circle Time is that you can fit those little bits in that end up being skipped during a busy day, and it's unique to your family dynamic and personalities. Everybody's looks different. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 We do "group time". I read a chapter from the Bible (we've worked through the gospels and selected psalms this year so far). Then we worship (this can cover dance, rhythm sticks, or singing for our day) and pray. I have my son write his prayer as a letter to God. Well, I do a lot of the actual writing; I do this so that his writing ability and stamina don't dictate what he prays about (he's in 1st). I make him write the date (in long form) and his name everyday and then vary how much he writes of the rest.That gives my son practice with writing days of the week, months, and knowing "yesterday was ... so today is ...". It's also handwriting practice on days that I have him write more of his prayer. After that I read at least 1 chapter from a chapter book. It often also includes me reading 1-2 picture books and more than 1 chapter, but it's always at least one thing read for fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maela Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 We call it calendar time, but yes. The first half hour of our school day we do our calendar (weather, number of days of school, date, etc.). The kids each have their calendar notebook made especially for their level. We also do memory work at this time. My kids take about a half hour to do all this, but it could probably be done in 15 minutes. They enjoy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fdrinca Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 Similar: calendar time with minor mental math problems (date x1, date x2, etc.), we do our Catechism study, Bible story, sing thematic songs, and do some of the little activities that would otherwise get lost. It's also a great time for me to do the activities that my 3YO would like to do before he's sent off to play for the day. So we'll practice the Pledge of Allegiance, do a few of the little readers we have for social studies and religion, and do whatever our monthly activity is (we made thankful leaves in November, for example). We used to do much longer circle time (more games, more stories, more songs and fingerplays), but I've let that go. I really should do it again - the kids love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mindygz Posted January 5, 2014 Author Share Posted January 5, 2014 Thanks for sharing! I'm getting some good sparks of inspiration from you. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
73349 Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 I just have a kindergartner. We do today's day and date; today is the nth day of school; x days until ______. Then a short line of memory work for the week (candy on Friday if you remember it without peeking), composer of the week if it's Monday, and some geography (candy on Friday if you remembered it). Then we launch into our other subjects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 When DSs were elementary ages, our morning "together time" included: - worship / hymn study / devotional / prayer time - pledge / patriotic song or short civics info - going over the day's schedule - a few pages from critical thinking / logic puzzles (or play a logic-based game) as a "brain warm-up" - read a few pages from one of the What Your ______ Grader Needs to Know books - read a few pages from whatever odds-and-ends book that didn't fit in anywhere else :tongue_smilie: Other "short bites" that could be included in a morning group time: - learn full name / parents' names / address / phone number(s) - how to address and stamp an envelope - safety info (first aid, 9-1-1, stop-drop-and-roll, stranger danger, etc.) - memorization - learn states & capitals / countries & locations - math facts - weather / calendar / months of the year - holiday traditions, history, info More ideas in these past threads: - Morning time / circle time - Circle time / calendar / morning meeting - Talk to me about circle time please - Anyone want to talk about circle time? And these resources: - Circle Time: Plan the Best Part of Your Homeschool Day (e-Book) - Refreshing the Morning Basket activities, resources, ideas (blog post from Wildflowers & Marbles) And in case you're looking for a different name for that time/activity ;): A better name for circle time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucy the Valiant Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Lori D., THANK YOU for that post! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TianXiaXueXiao Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 We sing our morning prayers and do the daily scripture and saint readings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mindygz Posted January 7, 2014 Author Share Posted January 7, 2014 Lori D., thanks for sharing all those resources! I'm excited to start this up again. It was such a nice start to our day in the past. I fell off the wagon when my twins were born, but now that they are toddlers, I think we can swing it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alef Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 We have a devotional including song, prayer and scripture reading, and we do memory work. This is followed by group study, usually foreign language but sometimes history or science. Whatever I have planned to do together before kids head their separate ways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkl Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 We spend about an hour and a half doing group time (3 mornings a week). We do calender, vocab word of the week, memory, and then journal or morning message or Miquon/cuis rod play. We do an activity with our fairy tale or nursery rhyme of the week. If time allows, we do a phonics game (for my 5 year old) and a math activity for each of my older kids. Before we start Morning Meeting, while they are eating breakfast, I read that week's fairy tale or nursery rhyme and a book that relates to their journal work that day. The kids love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapbabe Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 We do scripture study and prayer. Then read from our current read aloud. Then we do the "topic of the day". Monday - math play. We do math brain teasers, a math game, math tricks, anything that makes math fun. Tuesday - tea time. Read good literature, poems, short stories and have tea (not real tea) and cake or other tasty treat. Wednesday - word play. Word games from Word Play Cafe, mad libs, board games, story cubes, just generally play with language. Thursday - the arts. Listen to classical music, do an art project, craft, etc. Friday - free choice. The kids choose whatever they want to do. This usually involves playing a family board game but could be an educational movie, field trip, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lea_lpz Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 We start the first hour if school doing things together. We do our daily drill (poetry, chore chart, calendar, weather chart, number of day stuff), then Bible and prayer, then read alouds. I guess that's circle time. I want our day to start out with us all doing some gentle learning together :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyerin Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 We do scripture study and prayer. Then read from our current read aloud. Then we do the "topic of the day". Monday - math play. We do math brain teasers, a math game, math tricks, anything that makes math fun. Tuesday - tea time. Read good literature, poems, short stories and have tea (not real tea) and cake or other tasty treat. Wednesday - word play. Word games from Word Play Cafe, mad libs, board games, story cubes, just generally play with language. Thursday - the arts. Listen to classical music, do an art project, craft, etc. Friday - free choice. The kids choose whatever they want to do. This usually involves playing a family board game but could be an educational movie, field trip, etc. This is brilliant. I have pooh-poohed the idea of circle/morning/whatever time, but this make sense to me. Rethinking…. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mavy Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 We start our day with memory work, map drills, artist/composer study, a Spanish CD we are listening to for exposure, and hymn, worship and folk songs. I do bible, devotions, missionary stories, and prayer time during breakfast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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