What Happens During Our Morning Routine?

Once the kiddos are fed and dressed and three hairstyles have been negotiated, Momma is usually already worn out, and the kiddos are rearing to go!  Let another school day begin!

Children are creatures of routine.  Well, let's be honest....adults are creatures of routine, too, right?  So, with this being said, the girls and I begin each morning of school with the routine of Math calendar and Bible time.

I really enjoy integrating literature into each content area. Everyday Mathematics (the curriculum we are using) also promotes the integration of literature and gives some fabulous suggestions on what books to utilize during each lesson. As we progressed throughout the school year from day one to day ten, we read a Math fable each day during our Math calendar time that correlated with that particular numbered day of school.  The girls really enjoyed listening to these fables from the book Math Fables by Greg Tang.

The girls came running to me one day at the library, ecstatic to have discovered that there is a Math Fables Too book, so we continued our morning tradition of reading a fable a day!

Reading literature isn't the only thing that we do during our morning calendar time though.  Here are some other activities that happen each and every morning to get our school day rolling.

We change our date card on the calendar and discuss what today's date is, what day it was yesterday, and what day tomorrow will be.  We also discuss the pattern that is unfolding with the colored cards as we change the date.  Then, the girls get to build their own pattern with pattern cards or pattern pieces.  We also spend some time reviewing the vowels and the long and short sounds that each vowel makes.  Here is Brynn building a pattern while Clare watches.  Clare's doll, Baby 'Sippi, even gets to join in on the calendar learning sometimes.  

We keep track of the number of days that we are in school and work on our understanding of place value.  Elle tries diligently each morning to run away with some of the place value sticks, but we manage to recapture them and place them in the correct pockets each day.  We are really excited for the 100th day of school!  There will be some really fun activities planned for that very special day!  There is usually some problem solving involved each morning, too.  Here, Brynn reads the "problem of the day."

Each week, there is a new letter of the alphabet with a coordinating memory bible verse.  This week is "F," and the bible verse is "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith..." (Ephesians 2:8).  Brynn also has a Sunday school bible verse to memorize each week, and, so, we work out of two flip books.  This girl has a knack for memorization and retention!  Her memory astounds me!

Here is the link for the FREE printable bible verse ABC book:

http://www.homeschoolcreations.com/files/ABC_Bible_Verses.pdf

After we have completed the calendar activities in our Math calendar pocket chart, we transition to some other activities.  In this photograph, Brynn is writing the number for the day of school that we are in.

Brynn records the calendar day, too.  You may notice that some of her numbers are still getting inverted, and I know that this is OK for now.  It is just a stage of development.

So, what do Clare and Elle do during this time?  Well, they are master mess-makers, but their messes are made with learning materials such as shapes, letters, puzzles, etc.  On this particular day, they were sorting through magnetic letters and sponge letters.

Brynn continues her written work by graphing the weather for the day.  Brynn, whom has resided in the desert for quite some time, is really eager for the day when she gets to log SNOW on her graph!  I assure her that the day of snow will come!  Notice my coffee cup?  I'm doing my best to stay awake!

Here is the link where I got the FREE printables for the calendar recording book that we keep in a three-ring binder:

http://www.homeschoolcreations.net/2012/08/calendar-notebook-binder-printables/

Our next activity is saying the "Pledge of Allegiance."  We are a military family with a great love for GOD and country.  We want to teach each of our children that "I am proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free.  And I won't forget the men who died who gave that right to me.  And I gladly stand up, next to you, and defend her still today. 'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land.  God bless the USA!" (Lee Greenwood).

To culminate our morning routine, we do a bible lesson that either correlates with the FIAR (Five in a Row) book that we are reading for the week and comes from the "FIAR Christian Character and Bible Study Supplement," or we do some reading from The Family Time Bible:

Then, we pray!