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Bookswithtea Forum All-Star
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Posted: Jan 19 2006 at 7:35am | IP Logged
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I've been reading through and contemplating the amazing threads here on notebooks. I just finished reading the Easter Vigil Notebook thread in the archives.
Someone posted there that a child was losing interest and Alice suggested inspiring her with a trip to Michael's for stickers and papers.
My children are 12ds, 9dd, 6dd, 3dd (and a baby).
I don't know if my 12 yo boy is going to be inspired by stickers, kwim? But I read elsewhere that Elizabeth said even her oldest was going to participate in their Blessed Mother notebook project. He's a senior, right? So what kinds of extras inspire a boy to want to "get into" projects like these?
The other question I have is, are you doing one notebook for the entire family, or is each child creating their own notebook? And if everyone is doing their own, at what age do they participate? I mean, did you include your preschoolers? What about your K or 1st graders, who may very well not understand much of what you are talking about?
I *really* want to do some sort of notebook this Lent. I don't know that I am brave enough to do Alice's gorgeous Vigil project yet (but some day, I will). My original thought was that everyone could do their own, and I would do one too, both for modeling and also because I think if they see that I am doing it too, they will see that this is valuable for all ages.
I'm tossing around the idea of doing a rosary notebook, one mystery each day throughout Lent. We are converts of about 5 yrs. Praying the rosary is not a part of our family's prayer life. My kids don't really understand it, and my experience with it is limited, too, so I thought it would be a good place to start. Plus, since its about the life, death and resurrection of Christ, I figure its still related to the Lenten/Easter season.
Can y'all help me to find a way to do this so that even my 12 yo boy will "connect" to the project? I feel sooo lame when it comes to this kind of thing. And the one thing I don't want to happen is for it to get so hard that we don't finish it.
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Cay Gibson Forum All-Star
Joined: July 16 2005 Location: Louisiana
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Posted: Jan 19 2006 at 7:46am | IP Logged
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Hello, dear.
We spent all of 2005 doing what I call a Liturgical Year Notebook. We jumped into smaller notebooks for the Pope study and now my dd's 1st Communion, but the overall binder is coming along wonderfully.
The great thing is that we can continue adding to it. It is never complete as our religious training is never complete.
Sorry to be so brief, but no time for more.
__________________ Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
wife to Mark '86
mom to 5
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks
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Mare Forum Pro
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Posted: Jan 19 2006 at 8:26am | IP Logged
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Great questions! I've looked at the notebook threads as well and wondered was it a family notebook or individual notebooks that were being put together. What age seems to be appropriate to start these?
I'll be following this thread!
Mare
__________________
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Courtney Forum All-Star
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Posted: Jan 19 2006 at 8:39am | IP Logged
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I would love to do one this Lent, too, Bookswithtea. We haven't done any of these yet either. My dc are 8 and almost 6. I think the rosary notebook would be a great place to start. I look forward to reading everyone's replies.
__________________ Courtney in Texas
Wife to Mike since 3/94
Mom to Candace 10/97,Christopher 4/00 and Connor 11/11
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Meredith Forum All-Star
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Posted: Jan 19 2006 at 10:58am | IP Logged
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Books, I highly recommend doing the Easter Vigil notebook. It is soooo beautiful and fulfilling (even for mom)! We jumped in late last year, but it was still so worthwhile and it's one of my daughter's best accomplishments from last year! It was also the first year she'd been to the Vigil Mass and she got to serve, it was such a blessing for her. Well, have I sold you yet?? Let us know, we'll be doing it again this year and my ds (7) will start one too. As far as I'm concerned, it will be something we'll add to every year HTH.
__________________ Meredith
Mom of 4 Sweeties
Sweetness and Light
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Bookswithtea Forum All-Star
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Posted: Jan 19 2006 at 2:12pm | IP Logged
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happyheartsmom wrote:
Books, I highly recommend doing the Easter Vigil notebook. It is soooo beautiful and fulfilling (even for mom)! We jumped in late last year, but it was still so worthwhile and it's one of my daughter's best accomplishments from last year! It was also the first year she'd been to the Vigil Mass and she got to serve, it was such a blessing for her. Well, have I sold you yet?? Let us know, we'll be doing it again this year and my ds (7) will start one too. As far as I'm concerned, it will be something we'll add to every year HTH. |
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Did you do individual notebooks or one family notebook? Do you have any older boys, and if so, how do you interest them in project that feels a bit like girly scrapbooking to them?
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Meredith Forum All-Star
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Posted: Jan 19 2006 at 4:53pm | IP Logged
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My oldest is my girl, and then 3 boys down the line, but my ds and I are doing the 1st Comm notebook and so far it's turning out fairly masculine...sorry I can't help more. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how they will adapt it to their own *style*.
Oh, and they will each do their own & me too
__________________ Meredith
Mom of 4 Sweeties
Sweetness and Light
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ALmom Forum All-Star
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Posted: Jan 19 2006 at 5:03pm | IP Logged
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Books,
I could have written your post - so many of your questions are some of the ones lingering in my mind. I have dd (18) who is so busy but would love to be able to pull her in (if she is done with her 12th grade academics, I think we might be able to entice her), dd 12) would love this kind of thing and then there are the boys - 11yo, 8yo 6 yo and 3 yo. How do we involve a 3 yo without him getting into everything and what about the other boys who don't like to write and don't like anything crafty. (Sometimes the 8 yo will be drawn in by the 12 yo but it takes something and I'm not sure what).
I would love to do any of the religiously themed notebooks just to get our feet wet and am looking for how your questions are answered.
At one point, I made a looseleaf notebook for some folks for the saints - trying to cover each saint, their feast day and their symbol - but it was nothing like anything these ladies have done. I just used cut out photos and laminated them - their dates added on and stuck them in a notebook in order with dividers for each month of the year. I didn't find pictures for all as we wanted saints with their symbols. But it was totally my project and none of dc were really involved although they did admire some of the beautiful pictures of the saints.
At some point, I'd like to go back and make one for us and add in some details about the symbols and the saint. Then we could have the notebook and flip open each day to a Saint for the day and then collect sayings or virtues to imitate, etc. I'm just not sure how to get everyone involved - and does everyone do their own saint and add it in or do we work on all in unison.
Janet
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Erin Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 23 2005 Location: Australia
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Posted: Jan 20 2006 at 2:38am | IP Logged
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Bookswithtea wrote:
I've been reading through and contemplating the amazing threads here on notebooks. I just finished reading the Easter Vigil Notebook thread in the archives. |
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Books,
Where do I find the archives?
Cay Gibson wrote:
We spent all of 2005 doing what I call a Liturgical Year Notebook. We jumped into smaller notebooks for the Pope study and now my dd's 1st Communion, but the overall binder is coming along wonderfully.
The great thing is that we can continue adding to it. It is never complete as our religious training is never complete.
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Cay
When you have a moment I would love to know whether everybody did individual ones, or a family one.
You've inspired me here, I was thinking you could have the one big folder going with dividing pages for the different liturgical seasons ie. Lent. That way you could also include Elizabeth's idea for a Mary notebook. I could see myself doing this that way it is sure to at least have SOME pages in it.
I also have a first grader this year preparing for his First Communion so we should attempt a First Communion one too.
__________________ Erin
Faith Filled Days
Seven Little Australians
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Helen Forum All-Star
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Posted: Feb 01 2006 at 5:24am | IP Logged
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Dear Books,
One of the great things about homeschooling is the ability for each homeschool to be unique. And then, within each homeschool, each student can be treated individually. I couldn't get everyone in my homeschool to be interested in our Fatima notebook. I read to them all, but, only my eldest daughter completed the notebook. My son's interest waned after we finished the St. Michael part of the project. I also set a time limit. I set 6 weeks for the Fatima project. At the end of 6 weeks, it was considered "done" and a "success" because we worked on it the allotted time.
My son just came in to me a few weeks ago with an idea for a notebook study on the New Testament. Try as hard as I could, I couldn't drum up support for it from any other member of my homeschool. I'm not going to get disturbed over this. My son is the only one working on the project, so be it. I'm considering limiting this project to 4 weeks, but if he wants to continue, of course he can. I'll just press a little for 4 weeks.
I have pictures of the beginnings of the NT notebook at "Castle of the Immaculate."
__________________ Ave Maria!
Mom to 5 girls and 3 boys
Mary Vitamin & Castle of the Immaculate
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mary Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 17 2005 Location: N/A
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Posted: Feb 01 2006 at 6:43am | IP Logged
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I'm halfway through the First Communion notebook with my 7 yr old ds. I'm thrilled with how it is turning out and can't wait to do another notebook. it has taken a lot of our time and i can't imagine doing more than one notebook a year with a child. Probably, it would have been easier without the morning sickness though!
Bookswithtea, have you looked at the 1st communion notebooks? while my son is 7 and not 12, i think the notebooks are done such that they are not stickers, but are narrations, illustrations, and learning about the topic. (although my boy is thrilled with the 3D sticker of the first communion boy's outfit.)
Erin, I love the idea of doing small parts of the liturgical year and then eventually putting it all together.
I considered doing notebooks as a family, but really my other children are too young to add much (they will be 6, 3 and a new baby) and i like the idea of this being something each child keeps for him/herself.
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JennGM Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005 Location: Virginia
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Posted: Feb 01 2006 at 7:17am | IP Logged
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You can find the archives if you go to the main page of the forum. There's a link on the bottom of the page to go the Archives. But you can also find the Easter Vigil by searching or just clicking here for Easter Vigil Notebooks.
There was also a fabulous thread on the John Paul II Memorial Notebooks. And to keep things on the same page, here is to Blessed Mother Notebook Project and Year of the Eucharist.
Buried in this thread is Cay Gibson's description of her Liturgical Year notebooks. I think it's fabulous!
__________________ Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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Leonie Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 28 2005
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Posted: Feb 03 2006 at 3:36am | IP Logged
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We are making lapbooks for Confirmation - so having an extra purpose behind the religion notebook et al, helps my sons.
Also, what goes in the lapbooks is dictated by the son and his leaning - if one really gets into the history of his Confirmation Name Saint, that will be encouraged.
If another prefers a more utilitarian design, with bold colours and geometric design and no "pretty work", that will be the way *his Confirmation lapbook will go.
I find that letting go of my preconceived ideas of what a religion notebook/lapbook should be allows my sons more room with narrations etc - and this helps with interest and motivation.
Don't know if any of this is relevant or helpful but wanted to offer some experiences as a mother of sons.
__________________ Leonie in Sydney
Living Without School
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Bookswithtea Forum All-Star
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Posted: Feb 03 2006 at 6:55am | IP Logged
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I just wanted to say thanks, again. I come back to this thread regularly, gleaning. I am still musing on ideas that I think will encourage all my kids to get involved. Leonie, I appreciate knowing that its not that hard to get boys involved. The one thing I have noticed is that ds is more likely to get involved when I give him ownership and a lot of freedom within a basic framework.
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