Friday, December 21, 2018

The Home Educator's Christmas Break Checklist


This post contains amazon affiliate links for your convenience. 

It's Christmas Break, and you are a Homeschool Mom, Dad or Educator.  This might seem like a blatant observation, but those titles carry a lot of responsibility, and the holiday vacation is really a time to catch up, re-organize, and gather your plans for the next semester. 

Ha! What vacation?!  

I homeschool a child in each level. For my elementary child, we aren't changing anything. She will continue her lessons the same way. For my middle and high school kiddos, we have to change up some elective classes, finish grading papers, and adjust our schedules a little. 

Chances are, you may be doing the same thing we are!  

Here is our holiday break checklist to getting reset for the new semester: 

1) Allow your child a few days to catch up on missing assignments. 

2) Grade Papers, & Enter Grades if necessary.

3) File away art work, clean out old projects, organize your desk. 

4) Lesson Plan- this will vary on your grade/level. For my family, this includes switching out curriculum, adding new lessons, and updating transcripts. 

5) Sanitize school spaces (deep clean, straighten). 

6) Prepare items for use in upcoming lessons. 

7) Refresh your calendar(s). This may require a flip calendar, or planner..whichever way you prefer. 

8) Get some rest. Don't forget the most important part. 

Don't forget your ME TIME!

Sometimes the season can be stressful, whether it's in preparation for the biggest holiday of the year, or finishing up classes, etc.  It's always a good thing to take some time for yourself, or learn how to schedule it in. We have made a big commitment to our family...but we need some ways to decompress, rest our minds, or let out some energy. 

Try one of these new kind of planners for helping you start a new goal, or achieve some creative release! 

Journal Me Organized The complete guide to practical and creative planning.


Crossroads - Find and Follow your Passion.. a guide. 

Make Art Everyday (An instructive guide to making art with various methods!) 


Draw Your Day: An Inspiring Guide to Keeping a Sketch Journal -features information on materials, creative inspiration and instruction, prompts, and helpful tips and tricks.


The Wildflower's Workbook: A Journal for Self-Discovery in Nature (Basically a Nature Journal for Moms) 


100 Days of Bible Promises- A Devotional Journal 

My Prayer Journal Highly requested by homeschool moms, this inexpensive journal is the perfect little book to write down prayers! 


I hope these suggestions help you find a new way to brighten your days for the remainder of the school year! You are always welcome to comment and share tips that have helped you! :) 

Best wishes this Christmas and New Year! 




Tuesday, December 4, 2018

It's Time for Christmas School!


Christmas School, What is it and How do we do it??


Christmas School is essentially a combination of lessons or plans put together to give your children the History, the Reason, and the Joy of Christmas.  

We initially began planning our December Morning Basket with books and games in mind. At some point though, I was directed to Advent studies and found a whole plethora of ideas! Quite honestly, I'm still finding them.  It got pretty messy on my desk, so I created a Christmas Binder to put each packet in and make it easy for our Morning Christmas School. You can grab a Free Printable Cover below!

Our Schedule: 
(I don't set times as I have teens, and that's tricky)

On the First day, we read the History of Christmas from Homeschool in the Woods. 
8am (ish) We start with our Advent Morning Time Plans from Pam Barnhill.  Sometimes I have to remove or replace items for the age of my kiddos.  This includes memory work, poetry, music, and art. 
Next we move on to a small lesson from our Free Focus on the Family Advent Plans. It gives the kids coloring or busy work while I read. 
Then we read our daily poem from Christmas in Copenhagen. (Also Free)
Then I begin our Squilt Music Study. We are using the Christmas Carols Vol. 1 right now. 

My extra plans include Truth in the Tinsel (some projects are kind of young for my children), Chalk Pastel Christmas Videos for Art, and we have just added a daily devotional for our Shepherd on the Search. 







Get your own Free Printable Christmas School Cover!


To See Our Complete Morning Basket List,
Click Here.  May include amazon affiliate links for your convenience. 


You can do as much or as little as you see fit. I tried not to buy everything out there, and some of them can be time consuming. Our whole morning of Christmas School takes about an hour and half, then they move on to core subjects and electives. If you have little ones, you can use more of the Pam Barnhill plans that include Math! 

Please comment below with any thoughts! :) 

Merry Christmas!




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