Heart of Thanks Discovery Guide is the teaching component of the set. Inside you will find 3 units, each with a planning grid, materials list, and 4 days of lessons. Lessons are labeled Day 1, Day 2, and on, but you do not have to do 4 consecutive days. Feel free to adjust the “days” to fit your family. This works out to 12 days total, each with several activities (outlined below). You could finish this Guide in 3 weeks or spread it over 6 weeks.
Also essential is the Student Book and the reading materials. For Heart of Thanks, these books include
- Story of the Pilgrims by Katharine Ross
- Wild Turkeys (Blastoff Reader)
- God Gave Us Thankful Hearts by Lisa Tawn Bergren
Each unit centers around a book and begins with you reading the book aloud to your child. The Guide includes dialogue you can add, like what to say before, during, and after reading the book aloud. For example, Read the first page and ask your child, “What does it mean to feel glum?” These pauses provide opportunities for interaction. You are building language skills!
There is a Bible Connection to the story, again, scripted for the parent. Use the script as much or as little as you wish.
Writing activities encourage journaling. There will be a range of handwriting abilities, and that is okay. Students write in their own Student Book on formatted pages.
Word work is also completed in the Student Book and practices high frequency words like all, is, and, of, day, saw, etc. A copywork task follows where the child rewrites a sentence or verse.
Extension Activities can be a game or art project included in the Student Book. Sometimes you get a field trip idea! Any additional art supplies will be noted at the beginning of the lesson.
~Sara