November Study Guide Update (2020 version)
Here is a high-level look at what we’re up to learning wise for the month of November.
A quick update: So much is different this year. Primarily the pandemic rages on. Pretty much all of our activities are still sidelined or have gone virtual. We’ve adjusted. We miss friends and family and are doing our best. It’s the year that is. I’ve been trying to wrap my brain around November but have had a hard time with it. I think the stress of things is getting to me. I can feel my executive functioning skills fritzing. Still, we press on. I’ve decided to give myself more grace and not worry about posting every week.
Fun finds and a weekly newsletter: I’m still on the lookout for fun homeschooling finds and share them in my weekly newsletter I’ve dubbed my Friday Five. If you don’t follow me on Facebook, sign up for updates and see it in your inbox Friday mornings.
Routines have saved my brain during this pandemic. (I should write another article about this entirely.) Homeschool-specific, we hit subject areas throughout the week, but having designated days for things helps us focus.
- Monday: music, movement, art
- Tuesday/Thursday: health, language arts, social studies
- Wednesday: math and science
- Friday: math
Our style has evolved and lately, we’ve taken a more eclectic, somewhat unschooling approach. I’ve pretty much abandoned my boxed curriculum in favor of a child-led, seasonally-inspired rhythm of learning. I’m also trying to keep myself engaged. I’ve realized how important this is for keeping the creative juices and energy flowing in the family. We need this to be fun for everyone concerned or we’re just going to dread learning every day. More on this in the future.
So for ideas to glean from this month, read on. I’m happy to share what we’re working on with you.
And because there is more to life than just homeschooling (it all kind of mashes together); check out my Family Fun Inspiration for November, too.
Music
Appreciation for music is no problem in our family. We love it and play it often.
We recently restrung one of our old guitars and the kids pluck at it on occasion.
I signed us up for a subscription to Simply Piano by Joytunes. It’s an app on the kids’ tablets. The kids play along on my old keyboard as the app “listens,” grading them as they go along. A couple of weeks in, my youngest is already learning two-handed playing with eighth notes.
Movement
We are several weeks into a new ballet season but our classes are virtual. This year, we are doing exercises at the barre, practicing balance, working on glissades, pirouettes and variations on ballet positions.
While my oldest learns virtually in one room, my youngest opens the app Go Noodle. There are dance routines, Play 60 exercises and craft activities.
Art
My children are an endless supply of creativity. We have a rec room of sorts (we call it our art studio) that the kids spend a lot of time in. Years ago, we set up a table and a shelf with art supplies on it. Since then, they have come up with some really clever crafts. Last week, they made costumes out of plastic bags and paper. We tried a curated art box but weren’t too impressed with it.
We also recently started participating in a virtual Art Explorers series offered through a local art museum.
Health
Besides working in our gratitude journals during the week, we touch on social emotional skills periodically. We talk about the importance of eating healthy, staying active and getting adequate sleep. The kids also love helping us in the kitchen (which basically covers several subject areas, including health).
Language arts
We’re continuing on with the Dart program that I purchased earlier this year from Bravewriter. This month’s selection is The House at Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne.
We host a monthly virtual book club for several fellow homeschool families in our community. We come up with questions to guide a discussion for the kids and another super-talented parent leads all of us in a craft tied into the theme of the book. We’re a few books in and so far it’s been going well. I confess, I haven’t always loved the books, but we’re working through it.
Since learning how to read, the kids have become avid readers. There isn’t a recipe, workbook, commercial or manual that they’re not trying to understand. We do a weekly video call with my parents and the kids read books to them. It’s our weekly tea time.
Other things:
Wordscapes – a word puzzle app on our phone.
Circle Round – storytelling podcast from WBUR (NPR)
Social studies
One of the primary ways we touch on this subject is learning about other cultures. This often takes the form of watching food, travel and culture programs on Netflix. We also cook different kinds of cuisine in the house. We enjoy talking about some current events (we recently watched the presidential and vice presidential debates together), learning about what life is like in other parts of the world.
Calendars are also a huge focus. I asked the kids if they still liked the traceable calendars I’ve been making for the last several months. They do. You can find the November version here.
Math
Other than practical applications of math in our everyday, here are some other ways the kids practice.
- Prodigy is an adventure-based math learning platform.
- LEGO challenge cards
- Math dice game – practice number combinations
- Math Tango
Science
While not a huge focus at the moment, we’re ramping up more studies with online workshops offered through our local library system, Kiwi boxes and plenty of outside exploration.