Charlotte Mason Form 1 Binders - Year 1

I was very inspired by the blog post over at Joyous Lessons where she outlines how to layout a Form 1 binder and her memory work post. Thank you so much Celeste!! I added a few ideas of my own in and I think our binders are ready go. Thanking the Holy Spirit today for guiding me to this inspiring idea and for helping me to get them finished before we start on Monday. First grade, Year 1, Year 1B ..... Here we come!

Here is my video walking you through the layout of our finished binders. Again these are set up for Year 1 - Term 1. We use a combination of AO, MA, and other fantastic CM sites. Take a look if you're interested. Good luck to everyone starting back to school soon. Many blessings! ~ Amber

Charlotte Mason Planner: DIY Step by Step Instructions and Files

Thanks to all the great feedback in the Mater Amabilis facebook group. It seems appropriate to share all of the details on my Charlotte Mason planner, since I spent so long figuring it all out!! So many people have helped me get started in this journey, now it's my turn. 

A little about us... 

My twin girls are 6 years old. We are moving into MA Year 1B / AO Year 1 / Form I. We use a combination of Mater Amabilis, Ambleside Online, and for history I love all of the podcasts over at A Delectable Education. The ladies who write at the following blogs have truly inspired me...  Wildflowers & Marbles, Sage Parnassus,  Living Soul Deep, Joyous Lessons, Moments With Mother Culture, and A Delectable Education! I am beyond thankful to the curriculum writers at Mater Amabilis and the advisory at Ambleside Online. 

That being said I couldn't find a planner that was an exact fit, and so I knew I had to create my own. Through lots of prayers, research, and energy this is what I came up with. I wasn't planning on sharing, but I felt compelled to, and now here I am typing up this how to guide. I really hope it helps or inspires you to create your own planner, if like me you haven't already found the perfect fit.

Planner Overview Video 

I just took some time to flip through the planner and show you each section that I have in there. 

Step By Step:

Step 1: Nail down your schedule

I spent lots of time here and feel what I have is close to what CM would have done in her schools. My biggest aim was to have, as she recommended, the subjects alternate daily so the students would never have the same exact day M-F, but how do I keep track of that with so many subjects?! We have this beautiful feast to spread but we have to keep track of it too. With the weekly schedule from MA & AO before me, and a few other resources for content, I began to form our weekly/daily schedule by looking at Charlotte Mason's daily time-tables. After that I spent lots of time looking at Form I and Year 1B schedules online from various sources. Google was my BFF for a while. Then I finished by taking some time to read and apply what Charlotte Mason presents in her programmes that accompany the times-tables. Those were the missing links, for me, in building our daily schedule. 

This is a general layout of our week. A snapshot of subjects. I plan to write in the books being covered on this page, but save page numbers and more detailed information for the daily schedule. I am going to copy what MA or AO has laid out for the 36 week lesson plan (including any adjustments/additions I've personally made) onto these pages. 

This part of the planning was not about what books to use and cover each week. Mater Amabilis and Ambleside Online, along with some recommendations from a few seasoned CM moms (see blog list above), had that knocked out for me. Thank you! This part of the process was about how to actually organize it all - daily. Kind of like putting the puzzle together. I had all the pieces, just needed to make them fit logically and most like Charlotte did. That's why I need a planner, so that my day flows and I don't have to think about it. 

For this part you can copy what I have created, create your own, or purchase BLANK files and edit them yourself. In the Etsy bundle I have included the blank files for weekly, daily, front, and back cover for $10. You can download them right away. One of my favorite and easiest ways to edit is to take a JPEG file PLACE it in a google drawing (see google docs online and find drawings) and edit! You can place text boxes wherever you want all over the JPEG!! It's super easy. When you're done save it as a PDF for highest quality and then PRINT. That's it!! You could also just print the blank files to add to your planner and write everything in throughout the year. Last you could use the files in another design program like Adobe InDesign to create your personal schedule. I'm sure there are other ways too!! 

HERE IS A LINK TO THE FILES ON ETSY!

Daily has larger blocks on the left to write in more detailed information.
Page numbers, what was actually covered, etc. Extras, etc. 

Step 2: Print your weekly and daily schedules

Once you've figured all that out....Print 36 weekly files. I color coded these and used card stock versus regular weight paper. I printed 12 pink for 1st term, 12 green for 2nd term, and 12 blue for 3rd term. Print 36 Mondays, 36 Tuesdays, 36 Wednesdays, 36 Thursdays, and 36 Fridays. Print back and front when you can to save space and paper. I printed these in black and white (you could print in color) on white regular stock paper. This planner is 8.5x11 in size so that I could use my at home printer for some of the printing. I ended up printing the bulk (daily schedule) at my print shop. Cost was about $12.  I printed the weekly pages at home. Set all of this aside. Now you have the bulk of your planner complete - weekly/daily schedules for all 36 weeks! You may notice I don't have a daily anything for Saturdays and Sundays. That may be something you'd like to include. I am just planning on jotting down weekend events on my monthly calendar. 

Step 2: Collect the other files that will make up your planner. 

A. Calendars 

I printed an academic year overview and vertical monthly calendars. My year is running from August to July. You can make yours however you like. I used CalendarPedia for all of my monthly calendars. Download, save, and print the PDFs that you choose. Print them on cardstock. I chose a bright yellow to print these on. I printed these at home. set aside. 

B. Meal Planning 

I researched and settled on these to use. I printed them back and front in black and white. Print enough to cover each month. I also included a grocery list. I used this (should be able to use the file below) and also perforated them, so that I can just tear a list out before going shopping each week. That tool is about $3 at a craft store. 3 per page single sided (or you could double side it for more writing space). I put in two pages so I have 6 lists for each month to use. 

C. Blank Monthly Dividing Pages & Tabs 

I didn't use this in my current planner but probably will next year so I can place my tabs on these and open directly to the month. I was trying to cut down on as much paper as possible, since it's so thick already! But if you want to, I would just use most likely the same yellow paper, or whatever color you choose, to place in front of your monthly calendar. You will adhere the monthly tabs to these pages. I bought my monthly tabs on Etsy. There are many to choose from! I got mine from i Smooch Planner These cost about $12. 

D. Front and Back Cover

Design, print in color, laminate. 

I have this included with the weekly and daily files that are available for download, so I can customize it for you if you go that route. 

Set all of these files aside and tabs aside. 

Step 3: Assemble/order your planner. 

Start with your front cover, yearly overview calendar(s), then start with your first month or blank file page. In my planner, I then put meal plans and grocery lists. Next comes the weekly overview and then M-F daily schedules. I put the correct number of weeks that followed that are school weeks for the month. You could do this however YOU like!! :) If at the end of the month there were three leftover days and two on into the next month, I just kept that as a full week together. I know at the beginning / end of a few months I may have to flip back or flip forward into the following or previous  month, but I'm okay with that. If you want to try and break it up more exact that would be up to you since it's YOUR planner! Think about it and lay it out how you like. I used all 36 weeks up and my planner was done. We only officially are going to "school" for a week in December, so that's all I put after my December monthly calendar. I will use my monthly calendar to write down events and appointments. So December's calendar (the vertical one in yellow) may be a little more full but that's okay with me! I only use my daily calendars for school. That may or may not work for you. If it doesn't you could easily create a general daily page to insert where you aren't doing school. (spring break week, holidays weeks, weekend, etc.)

Step 4: Bind your planner
I took my ready to bind planner to my local print shop and had them spiral bind it for about $4. You could put it in a 3 ring binder, bind it yourself, or however you want to do it.

Step 5: Enjoy and be proud of your work!! 

Many blessings! ~ Amber  

Our day yesterday

Yesterday we read Charlotte's Web, Laura's Ma (our Little House book), we read about Putnam & the wolf, Washington for his birthday, we read a few poems, Pryscilla picked a new Georgia O'Keefe painting out to study, the girls played with Mayflies (a new favorite for them), we listened to Schubert,  worked on our phonics, and did our math. We made it to the library to pick up "A Time To Keep" by Tasha Tudor and I am loving it as expected. Such a beautiful book. We also ran to do a few errands together and sold our couches that we've had since the girls were babies. :) New ones on the way!

Kindergarten - Prep Level MA / Year 0 AO - Term 2

A look back at Term 1? Visit here

So what have we done in 12 weeks?! This is my girls kindergarten year and we're following the Charlotte Mason philosophy, as outlined by Ambleside Online, Mater Amabilis (because we are Catholic), and Karen Andreola's book, A Charlotte Mason Companion. I also created an easy CM schedule to follow & check off what we do! Plus lots of great ideas from some of my favorite books and blogs. This community is so rich and incredible. I'm very thankful to be able to read about how other moms have done it. I'm also in a few facebook groups - those have also helped at times too.

This once per term blog is a great way for me to keep track of what we've done. Be excited about what we've accomplished and not worry about what we haven't! I'm excited for my girls to have this to look back on one day as well.

Here's What We've Done

Bible
We've continued on with our prayer board. We've been reading bible stories, listening to our hymns, and praying. We started using the St. Joseph Baltimore Catechism, and I found the Angel Food books on Librivox to accompany that book. This idea was from Jennifer over at Wildflowers and Marbles. She put together a fantastic chart to align the Angel Food books with the Baltimore catechism book. 

Play, outdoor time, and nature study (science) 
The kids all play outside, freely, as much as the day allows. PLAY PLAY PLAY is so important to me!! Research proves there's no better way to learn than through play. We also have more structured outdoor time by taking walks and learning plant, tree, flower, and animal identification. We're part of a CM co-op where we take group walks together, the girls learn about painting, and then paint in their journals. We've even done a bunny sculpting project recently! Very cool. Nature study and handicraft all in one.

Learning About
Leaves 

Trees 

Bunnies!! 

Habits
When it comes to habits we're doing about the same. They have a morning routine that they follow very well. They get up brush teeth, make beds, pick up their room, and get dressed. They come to me with their brush and pony tail. Then we're all ready for breakfast followed by bible and prayer time. Daily, I continue to focus on attention, helpfulness, and kindness. 

Children's Literature
The next most important part of our homeschool...lots of good stories! So what have we read this term?

Paddington Bear

When The Robbers Came To Cardamom Town

We have friends in Norway who gave us the suggestion. 

This is one of their favorite books for children, and I must say my girls have 

enjoyed it so much!!

Christmas Stories - At Advent

Advent Storybook - About 2 pages per day during advent. 
We loved this book it has become a family favorite.

Silas
I've started reading through the Potter books with Silas. He's about to turn 3 and 
will sit still long enough for a book here and there. He can also count to 10! I'm sure he is 
absorbing more than I know when I'm teaching his sisters too. Other 
than that he spends lots of time outside and pretends all the time. 

I'm so excited to finish all of these books this reading with the girls in 12 weeks. We've also been learning to read and they are both making lots of progress! It's so exciting to witness this. I'm not pushing learning to read, we just do a little each day. I use early readers like Bob Books, Dick and Jane, and The Primer combined with Alpha Phonics. We still do lots of review of letters and their sounds. I'm introducing blends as they come up in our reading, naturally. I point them out and we repeat them together a few times. Their little brains are making the obvious reading connections, almost like magic. It's beautiful!

Copywork
We use the pages form Alpha Phonics that we are working on, poems, and prayers for our copy work (handwriting). We write letters and the girls copy all kinds of cards and things they find around the house. We do just a little each day, and I don't stress about handwriting right now.

We've also done some memorizing this term:
Poems
Bed In Summer

System

We've done some Geography:
Continued reading through the books, "We Learn About Other Children" and "Children Just Like Me" and watched some kids travel shows on Netflix!

Math

Program wise, we've stuck with using MEP math and I've just added Math Mammoth. We also just discuss the basic concepts of math, numbers, counting, addition/subtraction as often as possible. We work through word problems I make up mentally, play math games, cook, and just do lots of natural every day learning with it comes to math. Right now they love MATH, it's really fun and hands on. It's a nice break between reading. I'm still reading Arithmetic For Parents by Ron Aharoni and I love it! He's a mathematician and his book is awesome. Great guide to teaching elementary math based on research, history, and the foundations of math.

Handicrafts / Crafts / Projects 
Beaded Necklaces
Baby Jesus Manger (co-op)
Giraffes for NICU babies and Bundles - The girls help me with my nonprofit work and at meetings!
Sculpted Bunnies

Composer, Artist, and Poetry During Our Tea Time
Schubert 

Renoir 

Now...

Georgia O'Keeffe

History
We're still reading SLOWLY through Stories Of Great Americans and just talk about history.

Other
Spanish class
Dance class
Tumbling class
1 day a week they are a part of full day catholic co-op 

Also part of a bi-monthly CM nature co-op

Amazing Life Experiences

Our friends from Norway were down for a whole week during Thanksgiving break. We very much enjoyed spending time with them. All of our little ones are becoming close and the experience of them all being together is wonderful. We are very blessed to have each other. They were even a part of celebrating the girls 6th birthday!

Advent and Christmas. We put a lot of effort into advent and it was a beautiful season. I've read lots of blogs about how special advent time each day really slows down the busy Christmas season and it sure did! I will even focus more on this next year. 

Ainsley's beautiful baptism! 

Field Trip to Houston Museum Of Natural Science with Mema, Mom, Kendl, and Holy Trinity co-op.

They got a new fish! A beta named Nemo. We also got our catepillars in so that we can grow our butterflies for our last term!! So exciting.

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This term has been hard, just as I imagined! November/December are overwhelming months for me any way and to try and fit school in (even prep level school) was hard! We had a long bout of sickness after Christmas and my allergies have been terrible. BUT we did it!! Not perfectly, not every day, not like our 1st term, but we DID it! 

Coming to grips with the fact that we're a homeschooling family and we have the freedom to make education work for us in our way and that it's OK is hard. I battle with how it is supposed to look, especially since I don't come from a homeschooling background. But I'm learning that it's all OK! That it's not supposed to look a certain way, it's supposed to be OUR way. After all we are on a journey together. Education is an atmosphere, a life.... . Some very smart lady said that right?!

This term we attended our co-ops and obligations, so I taught my children about fidelity.  We spent a lot of time with family, so I taught my children about love, giving, and the value of family. We are living our virtue lessons and this past term has given us ample opportunities. But, with more going comes less seat work and less checking off of my schedule. First, I'll cheers to myself because we did not let our reading time slip at all! We read a lot this term! The Bible, Thanksgiving stories, wonderful Christmas and advent stories, sweet Padington Bear, and a new family favorite When The Robbers Came to Cardamom Town! That time was such a joy, In the hustle and bustle. We did less of everything else!! We did manage to have one beautiful tea party. They got a new tea set from me for Christmas. We put it to use a while listening to Shubert looking at our Renoir and reading some beautiful poetry. It was so lovely. I'm going to try to get this in 1x a week this last term, it's a goal!! 

So am I upset that we didn't do history as much as we should? No, I'm not! Because we just did it in different ways. When learning about Jesus' birth all though December they were learning history. Geography?! Our friends from Norway visited for a week. The girls were immersed in their culture, language, and friendships. What about math? Well we finished 15 lessons in MEP, maybe that was less than I hoped for, but I made sure that when we cooked all of those special Christmas dishes they measured with me. We worked on time a lot as well since we were coming and going so much, and we are always counting. So even if we didn't sit down every day to "do math" they were learning. :) 

It almost took us all of January to get back into our normal routine, but it looks like we are all settled back in for our last term and it feels good. Each season is going to look and feel different and I want to be okay with that! I want to let myself find comfort in that. I've never been one to do the same thing for too long, so switching things up some each term should be a good thing! 

What do I want term 3 to look like? They will never have "kindergarten" again.They will never have this time to be little again. They will never have the imaginations they do coupled with their sweet child like innocence again, and let me just say it's beautiful! To watch them play brings me the most joy. To watch them taking care of their little brother Silas, teaching him, playing with him is beautiful. To watch the bond of those three grow and develop in very deep ways is blessed. My best friend is my sister. Again, family. So to be a part of watching their relationships grow and strengthen with all of the time they are gifted together is an answered prayer. I want more than anything for those three to grow up being best friends and am providing them a slow growing time at home to do so. I want more of that this term. I want this term to be lots of fun too. Spring is coming!! Lots of nature study! Lots of time outside. Time in the sand pit time in the sun. I want it to be fun and memorable, but I also want it to be orderly and slower. So that part is on me! I do want to check more boxes this term, but I won't stress as much either when they don't get checked. Especially after reflecting on the true beauty of term 2. I went through it so fast that I did miss some of the beauty, not all, just some! I pray for the Holy Spirit to guide me and lead me this term to make it exactly what He wants and to give me the grace to lead when I need to and relax when I need to. 

~ Amber

A Magic Moment - Making Connections

I was sitting on the couch with Pryscilla. I pulled up The Primer on my Kindle. The Primer is just one of our many early readers. We also have Dick & Jane, Bob Books, Frog & Toad, and others. This moment came after we had taken a week off of scheduled learning. Our "off" week was "off" in lots of ways, but I digress.

I pulled up the Primer and started pointing to words, fully thinking that I was going to have to help her with some sounds and blending because that is the stage they are at. I pointed to the first word and she read it. I smiled. We went on with the sentence and she kept on reading. She, for the most part, read the whole first story, The Little Red Hen!! She was so proud! I was so proud!!

At that moment, I realized something that I've been reading all over other blogs, on facebook posts/comments, etc., etc. Learning to read is magical!!! There isn't one way to do it there are SO MANY ways to do it and once you witness progress being made there's a new found energy to learn more. We, as teachers, fill our child's brain with some useful information to help it go to work and when IT'S READY it sure does! When I thought we were taking a week off, little did I know a HUGE learning leap would be made. Let your little ones rest and try to enjoy those periods. You may carve out a rest time here and there or you might just let life do that for you. Babies, life events, mariages, relocation, births, deaths.

I'm not pushing reading. Fluent reading or even reading to a certain level isn't a year 0 (kinder) goal for us. The girls are learning letters, blends, and using Alpha Phonics at a very slow rate. I have done lots of research, and what I've found says that reading early does not indicate anything about future learning and in many cases learning to read too early comes at the expense of other types of learning , including play, which is actually detrimental in the long run.

Most importantly, I read to them...morning, afternoon, and evening. My number one goal is to foster a love of reading and learning. Also, to encourage their attention to a story and it's details.

Pryscilla is by no means a READER but she's well on her way. Both girls are making the connections necessary to read. This "magic" moment just happened to be with Pryscilla, but Eden is right there with her. And I have had a few "magic" moments of my own with Eden!

Pryscilla is 5, almost 6!

Comfort and Play

Getting ready for bed and just noticed this grouping. These items keep me going and bring comfort to me each day. My planner, a favorite CM book, my commonplace journal, my binder, my computer, and most of all my picture of Mary, from my Mema, watching over it all. What a comfort to have the Blessed Mother's hand in everything we do. I'm so thankful Mater Amabilis weaves together our Catholic faith with Charlotte Mason's philosophy to create such a lovely curriculum. These past few days I've been able to find the quiet I've so desperately needed. They've been quiet moments between the hustle and bustle of our days. With the children! When I have these days I wish I could bottle it up and pull it out for the stormy days! That's not possible but at least I can be truly thankful for the peace when it's here.

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We're almost finished with our second term of Kindergarten and it's flying by. We've accomplished much and I'll share that next week. Term one was fresh and new, two has been both difficult and beautiful. Difficult due to our busy holiday schedule and beautiful because of Advent and Christmas. I think our last term is going to he fun and rich.

I find myself in somewhat of a struggle everyday to provide my children with just the right amount of book time and playtime. I'm so blessed to have chosen a philosophy of education that supports me! Short lessons with limited twaddle allowing plenty of time outdoors. Charlotte Mason knew what she was talking about!! My school age twins are 6 years old and my son will turn 3 soon. These days are just so fleeting. The days for imagining, the days for pretending, the days of innocent fun and creative play. I adore more than anything watching them run, build, create, act out, and play together. I see their minds growing and learning in amazing ways. I am teaching them to read, write, and count. I am teaching them about children in other countries and people in history. I am teaching them about art, poetry, music, and nature. I am reading the best children's literature to them daily. Most importantly I am teaching them about their Creator and their soul. I am providing a "feast" for them the best that I can. Some days are more beautiful than others. It's all important; however, right now I feel the Lord is highlighting that true play, uninterrupted and with limited interference, is the most important part of their education. It's a gift to be able to accomplish a full day of school and still give them hours in the day to play. 

Today was almost perfect and they played outside for hours. My heart was happy. They are still little, so I will let them be little. I'll let them work a little, play as much as they can, and I will watch them 

flourish.