"Learn Something New..."

A couple of weeks ago, I was looking around for ways to organize school day with the boys (thinking workbox system) and I came across a YouTube video where a lady was showing her organization. In the video she talks about the curriculum she has for her youngest and when I saw it I was immediately intrigued. It was called Moving Beyond the Page! What intrigued me most is that she said that it was all inclusive. And in her video, she briefly showed what was included in the curriculum.

Well, after watching, I quickly searched to find more videos and blog posts about Moving Beyond the Page and other than their website I couldn't find anything! But I did really enjoy their website. I liked the overview videos/slideshows they provide showing what the curriculum entails. I also liked that a lot of the books were ones we already owned or were easy to find at the library (which I had not found with Sonlight - another curriculum that we use which I also enjoy but after finding Moving Beyond the Page don't know if I will order in the future). So, after seeing that the base price (just for the manuals and manipulatives) was very affordable, I placed an order. How long after seeing the ladies YouTube video did this happen - about 2 hours! And in less than a week, I had the most amazing and gigantic box sitting on my doorstep!

I opened it on a Sunday and my son and I began promptly on Monday. That is how wonderful this curriculum is - almost no prep needed! We have done it each day this week and have been able to include my older son (he's 7 1/2) and they have both thoroughly enjoyed it. Today when I told my oldest that as we go through this curriculum, if he enjoys it, we can talk about purchasing his age curriculum for the next school year...he almost jumped out of his skin. I am just as excited! It is SO hands-on! Something I have been searching for for so long. And it is so well organized and prepared!

After the week began, I realized that since I couldn't find any information on this amazing curriculum I would start taking pictures so that I could blog about our journey and hopefully provide someone else out there with information about this AMAZING curriculum! So, here it goes.

We started with Unit 30 - February Celebrations (since this unit covers Valentine's Day and President's Day, in addition to other subjects) and next week we will begin with Unit 1.

Monday

The first day we read one of the boys' favorite book series The Biggest Valentine Ever and then I asked my 5 year old comprehension questions. He did so well! I really liked this because it made our reading so intentional and it was geared toward his understanding level. I mention this because usually I ask these questions but they are geared toward my oldest. He did really well with this and enjoyed reading the book even though we had read this for the last 3 Valentine's Days (he didn't remember it).

Tuesday

The next day we learned about money and made a money book. I decided to have him use some money stamps I have and after using the magnifying glass to look at each he got to stamp them. He then stapled it and loved it! There was also a little information about George Washington (who he kept confusing with George Washington Carver who we have been studying in my oldest son's school) and Abraham Lincoln. We watching a video that was linked in the manual and I loved it and he loved it! He liked it so much that he wanted to watch it over again. It was a wonderful video with a very memorable song about the presidents.

Wednesday

Wednesday was definitely the highlight of the week (maybe until tomorrow)! We started by listening to the words "I Love You" in different languages (link provided in the manual) and the boys really liked this. They wanted to listen to quite a few (20+) and then we read The Biggest Valentine Ever again. I told them to pay close attention to how the main characters designed their valentines during this read. They enjoyed the second read, of course, and then we headed to the table to get started on the craft. Every single thing we needed for the craft is provided!!!!!! So it was as easy as taking out the labeled bag and beginning.

He LOVED discovering that you can make a heart by folding a paper in half and drawing half a heart.

discovering the heart again (I love his face!)

So excited that his valentine is starting to look like the one in the book!

After this, he decided he wanted to do something different than the instructions in the book (so him - although my older son, who was doing this with us, followed the book instructions exactly).

The finished product!

So proud!

He's giving it to his community preschool teacher. He then wanted to make another one for his other teacher. He worked on this activity for well over 2 hours and then slept with the valentines he made.
We also did a very fun addition activity that was provided in the student workbook. Even after a long day, he enjoyed and surprised me with how well he did.

Thursday

Now today, we learned a little about Black History Month. Read a wonderful book online about Booker T. Washington and watched a very information video about MLK, Jr. (both links were provided in the manual). Then, together, we made this adorable "dream book".

The cloud cutouts were provided and inside he (dictated to me and I wrote) wrote:

I have a dream that the world would never have any bad people.
I have a dream that bad guys would be nice.
I have a dream to give every person (even if they are not poor) a foodless bag.
I have a dream where I loved Mommy and I hugged Mommy!
I have a dream to go to heaven without dying.

And then we made this paper chain doll!

He again was very surprised with the outcome.

He decided to add sticks and do a puppet show (which he wanted me to video - the files to big to upload).

Alright, so to sum things up - I am sooooo excited! Moving Beyond the Page has been SO easy and SO well organized and SO thorough! I have researched (and purchased/used) a lot of curriculum and so far Moving Beyond the Page has moved to the top of my list! I will definitely provide an update in time to see if it continues to impress!

Letter: Bb

Object: Ball

Color: Blue

Vocabulary Development Theme: Outdoor Fun

~Sweet Pea is 24 months old~

See Tot School Printables for the printables for this unit.

Sweet Pea is obsessed with playdough. So, of course that is the first thing he chose.

Then he worked on the the letter page and I showed him how to trace it.

Then, of course, he just wanted to draw...and he is drawing the most adorable stick figures these days.

I love that he loves this pose right now!

I caught my "Little Monkey" swinging from the dining table - everything he does is just so cute!

On to the Dot Marker Page

He is so precise with these. Dotting just the balls and then - "Done Mom. Next activity."

Such a ham!

always asking me to take a picture of him - and then wanting to look at it on the camera.

On to his Letter B basket

This "Things That Start with B" page had to be one of the highlights of the week. Sweet Pea traced the letters ALL BY HIMSELF! So sweet!

and then he started to draw...

and then he traced some more...

And then for the first time, he meticulously colored every bit of the surrounding pictures.

And in between coloring, drew pictures.

When then moved on to our Color Blue Tray.

I always love the look of excitement on Sweet Pea's face as I announce and then bring out his next activity.

And then - back to playdough. He cannot get enough of playdough.

He really worked hard at coloring in his "Color Balls" this week.

Then back onto his "Letter B Basket"

He really enjoyed tracing the letters on these Kumon cards.

We then dug into our B letter sound bag and practiced our pronunciation and vocabulary development.

Looking through the binoculars!

Munchkin joined in on exploring the items

And, of course, the puzzles are always well loved!

He actually did stamping this week (with assistance from me on the whole stamp pad, paper, stamp pad pattern).

And then I got the idea to paint with blue paint.

It is very interesting to see this part of his personality coming through - he painted over every bit of this ball.

While we were working on his stamping and painting, Munchkin went upstairs and drew this adorable picture of a Brontasaurus. Sweet Pea loved it and it is still stuck to one of our kitchen cabinets.

He enjoyed the 3-Part Puzzle a little.

He enjoyed the sequencing a teeny bit.

And he enjoyed the sensory bin a LOT!

I found all of my blue sorting and pouring utensils. And then I used Brown Beans for the base.

His favorite part of the bin was by far this blue jar I put in there.

He loved filling it a little and listening to the sound as he shook it and then filling it up to the top.

I decided to laminate and use this mat for playdough this week. He tolerated a little bit but otherwise didn't seem to care. I don't know if I'll do this next week.

I got out a Melissa and Doug alphabet puzzle. It's only 12 pieces and as expected he loved it! He couldn't do any of it on his own but nonetheless, he really enjoys just putting the pieces together (which is great for his hand-eye coordination).

I finally finished this file folder I began making two weeks ago. It was worth making, he really enjoyed it. He's really into file folder games these days!

I hid the number cards in the sensory bin again. He was into it but for a much shorter time than last week.

I used a little psychology with him on this sheet and while his brothers were sitting at the table I said, "Boys, Sweet Pea is going to show you how well he can do his trace page." I got him all excited about it and then...

HE DID IT!

All by himself!

I thought I'd try these linking shapes on the lace card/ball this week. Sweet Pea did about 4 before he was ready to move on to the next activity.

For shapes this week, I got out our Melissa and Doug shape sorter that we have had for 6 years. He really enjoyed it and correctly found about half of the shapes all by himself.

Back to playdough

And again...

I added buttons to the mix which he really liked!

Then he painted bubble wrap and we pressed it onto a B outline and I cut it out.

checkin' out the paint on his hands

again...the way he makes sure to cover every little bit! I actually had to stop him because the paint was drying. In retrospect (and in future weeks), I'll make it a point to just let him keep going.