School Plans for Summer

School is in once again for us.  We school year round because I like to space out our breaks.  The kids occasionally gripe about doing some school in the summer when their public school friends are out, but really, if we don’t start having some routine after a bit they are bored and cranky and argue more.  It is too hot here for them to play outside during the heat of the day on the summer, so we may as well be inside doing school work.

I usually choose to do a unit study that includes the whole family over the summer as well as some basic workbook skills practice.  Our summer school day is usually shorter and we take lots of field trips to do some of the fun summer stuff available locally.

This year, I really liked the Bible school materials from Answers in Genesis: Egypt Files.  I wanted to find a way to use the VBS curricula for our summer study.  So, I ordered the VBS started kit and used it to develop five weeks of material instead of the five days the VBS  is designed for.  Because the themes of the VBS are Egypt and the human body, I added an Ancient Egypt lapbook and human body unit study from The Old Schoolhouse Store to the mix.  Here is my lesson plan:

Week One- The Truth About Life

Day One: 
Read Day One drama with Kathryne and Charles
Read story from primary book and review memory verse

Day Two:
Review story with primary book
Review verse
Ancient Egypt Lapbook

Day Three:
Student Guide
Review verse
Human body unit

Day Four:
Review Verse
Craft: Model magic snakes
Snack: Food pyramids

Day Five:
Review verse
Ancient Egypt Lapbook

Week Two: The Wonder of Life

Day One: 
Read Day two drama with Kathryne and Charles
Read story from primary book and review memory verse

Day Two:
Review story with primary book
Review verse
Ancient Egypt Lapbook

Day Three:
Student Guide
Review verse
Human body unit

Day Four:
Review Verse
Craft: Armlet
Snack: Rods and cones

Day Five:
Review verse
Human Body Unit

Week Three:  Eternal Life- The Case for Christ

Day One: 
Read Day three drama with Kathryne and Charles
Read story from primary book and review memory verse

Day Two:
Review story with primary book
Review verse
Ancient Egypt Lapbook

Day Three:
Student Guide
Review verse
Human body unit

Day Four:
Review Verse
Craft: Cross pencil holders
Snack: Desert Dessert

Day Five:
Review verse
Ancient Egypt Lapbook

Week Four:  The Value of Life- The Defenders of the Defenseless

Day One: 
Read Day four drama with Kathryne and Charles
Read story from primary book and review memory verse

Day Two:
Review story with primary book
Review verse
Ancient Egypt Lapbook

Day Three:
Student Guide
Review verse
Human body unit

Day Four:
Review Verse
Craft: Hope hanger
Snack: Birth day celebration cake

Day Five:
Review verse
Human Body Unit Study

Week Five: Using Your Life- the mystery of one body

Day One: 
Read Day five drama with Kathryne and Charles
Read story from primary book and review memory verse

Day Two:
Review story with primary book
Review verse
Ancient Egypt Lapbook

Day Three:
Student Guide
Review verse
Human body unit

Day Four:
Review Verse
Craft: Concentration game
Snack: Savor the Flavor of Egypt

Day Five:
Review verse
Ancient Egypt Lapbook

In addition to this unit study, we are participating in our library reading program and the kids are working through summer activity books from BJU press- Vacation Stations.  I am not a big workbook fan, but I do think having some practice with the workbook style helps for preparation for standardized tests.  And, I think they are a good way to “catch” some skills we may not have covered during the year.

Kathryne and Charles have already completed a week of drama camp last week with Kidshine.  This week Charles is participating in Flag Football.  While he is not around, Kathryne has been completing a lapbook with the little girls based on If You Give a Moose a Muffin.  We plan on taking in some of our local theater’s free summer movies.  Charles will be bowling in a kids summer league on Tuesdays.  VBS is coming up in July after a trip to the beach.  And, in August Kathryne and Charles will be doing an adventure camp.

Summer looms ahead- full and exciting.  Despite our schedule, I’m sure we’ll have long evenings at the pool and playing in the yard until dark.  Summer, here we come!