Elections for Kids

I'm in the midst of planning our Election Study for this week. And since I'm already multi-tasking (Colleen's on the phone and Karoline's "helping"), there's no chance we'll have nicely laid out lesson plans across the ages for you to read. I'm working on individual plans for my children of all ages and I'll post my notes later at Faithful Over Little Things. In the meantime,here's a list of links we're using. Click around; there's great stuff here!

Great Books:
D is for Democracy
Woodrow for President

For the bigger kids: The League of Women Voter's Guide to the 2008 Election

D is for Democracy comes with an entire free unit study here.

A rockin' trip down Memory Lane for Mom and Dad and some seriously catchy jungles for a whole new generation of future voters: Schoolhouse Rock Election Edition DVD. This comes with a map and stickers for election night.

Here are plenty of sites from which to glean ideas:

Charlotte's Great Ideas for Teaching the Electoral College

• Ben's Guide to U.S. Government for Kids
    • Congress for Kids
    • Constitution Center
    • Kaboose
    • First Gov for Kids
    • National  Archives
    • National Geographic Kids
      • National Museum of American History
        • PBS for Kids
    • Scholastic
    • US House of Representatives for Kids
    • Weekly Reader

Once they're educated voters, be sure to have your kids vote before October 30 in the national mock election for kids.

Comments are open below if you have links or ideas on this topic to pass along.

Serendipity Doings

There are two new weeks' worth of lessons Lewis & Clark up at Serendipity today. There's also a new music lesson and a new  poetry lesson.
And... a little fairy told me that the gnomes are doing a happy dance. Don't you wonder why? Stay tuned:-)

Sarah's Shoes

This is for Danielle.

New Doings at Serendipity

There's an update post at Serendipity, to let you know we are still plugging along. Of special note, is Cindy's new creation, a forum for sharing ideas and answering each other's questions about any aspect of Serendipity. Do pop in there and let everyone know what you've been up to. Your ideas will surely bless someone else. There's a new reading list up for our Lewis and Clark Trail and lessons will follow soon. See you along one book-strewn path or another;-)!

My Heart's at Home Daybook~ October 20

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Outside My Window ...
The ground is covered with a fine layer of frost! There is a decided chill in the air - I really do need to find a way to get those pansies in the ground. Or to get those pansies at all;-).

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Towards a daily rhythm ...
We are persevering in our newfound normal..

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I am thankful for ...
prayer. There is so little I can do physically to support my family and to ensure the health of my baby, but I can pray. And I do. Almost incessantly. But it never seems like enough. That's when I remember all the reminders of your prayers, the notes and phone calls, and I am so, so grateful.

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From the kitchen ...
 I miss my kitchen. I really do. I'm going to start making menu plans for January, just so one day I can remember how much I missed my kitchen and wanted to cook .
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To live the liturgy...
St. John of Capistrano has a feast on the 23rd, which just so happens to be Mary Beth's birthday.
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I am wearing ...
an ESPN hoodie and baggy pants.

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I am creating ...
a baby.

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Towards a real education ...
we've instituted a new tradition. At the end of every week, Mike reviews the children's notebooks.The little kids are thrilled with this and love to show proof what they've done. The big kids are much less enthused. For teenaged boys, there is no substitute for Dad when it comes to accountability. I'm finding it keeps me accountable too. It also gives the boys just a little taste of competition as they compare themselves and their efforts to each other. Competition is not a bad thing in my house. As a matter of fact, my boys are highly motivated by it.
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Bringing beauty to my home ...
Lynn hung an autumn wreath in my bedroom. It's so pretty and so cheerful!

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I am reading  ...
books for the Lewis and Clark list for Serendipity. Stay tuned..

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I am hoping ...
for a healthy, happy, holy labor, delivery and recovery. Or at least a simple c-section:-).

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Around the house ...
I have relinquished all illusion of control.

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One of my favorite things ...
The way we've got the computer set up in my bedroom allows us to turn the monitor away from the bed. Christian likes to come in and pull up a chair and sit there with the wireless keyboard. He does all his school work there. He shows up around ten every morning and stays with me all day. He's the last to leave my room at night, after watching ball games or debates or such. He is such good company and I'm looking on this time with him as an exquisite blessing. It amazes me how attentive a hyperactive teenaged boy can be when his hyperactive mother is forced to be still.

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A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:
An MRI tomorrow and a doctor's appointment on Thursday, followed by a flower fairy birthday party.

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Here is a picture thought I am sharing~
 
   
This is a St. Anne chaplet I made a few weeks ago. I plan to write a whole post on St. Anne, but for now, it's just picture thought.