by Olivia Spears
What is a Narration Notebook?
If you’ve explored the Charlotte Mason method of education, you’ve probably heard the word narration. But what does it really mean, why is it so valuable for children, and how can a narration notebook help you bring this timeless practice into your homeschool?
by Nelly Sosa
8 Inspiring Catholic Podcasts and YouTube Channels for Kids
Looking for media catholic content for kids? Here's a list of 8 wonderful podcasts and YouTube channels that inspire, delight and supplement beautifully the faith formation we provide at home.
by Olivia Spears
How to Do a Picture Study
Simply exposing your child to art can boost their cognitive development, creativity, and academic performance. Discover the joy of exploring sacred art with your children with a simple method and our best picture study resources to get you started.
by Olivia Spears
Our 2023-2024 School Lineup | Booklists + Resources
August is upon us, which means it is nearly time to begin another school year in our home. I have been in planning prep for a couple of months (I take it slow!) and I'm happy to share our booklists with you here! How I Plan a New Homeschool Year My planning process typically follows three movements: Pray (you can learn more about that here) Make booklists (jot down all my ideas and resources, then heavily edit) Put it all together in a rhythm First, I'll share our booklists. Then, I'll share a loose idea of our rhythm! The Groundwork... My oldest kids are entering the 4th and 1st grades, and my youngest two are 3 years and ten months old. While each child does their own level of phonics, math, copywork, and logic, most of our subjects are done family style in a loop rotation (more on that later). This fits our family best in this season and we all really enjoy this setup. My three-year-old will not do any formal preschool work; however, he likes feeling "big" and has asked for his own school work this year. I've picked up A is for Art to go through with him as interest dictates. My main priority each morning is to snuggle him and read picture books to fill his cup before our school day begins. Our Homeschool "Curriculum" | The Booklists ***Unless otherwise linked, all books can be found on this Amazon list!*** Like I mentioned, we have family subjects and individual subjects. Only the older two have individual work. These children have different learning styles, so we use different resources for each. Family Subjects Morning Basket Our Morning Time will consist of The Daily Feast + any memory work (like poetry, Mass parts, and longer dictations for my oldest).P.S. already using my Daily Feast notepad and it's a game changer for organization!We will also do our fun read alouds during this time. I don't have a final list yet, but I've shared some definites in the Amazon shop! Catechesis We will be using Into the Deep Level Two this year, taking pauses to do the picture studies on the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary during Advent, the Luminous + Sorrowful during Lent, and the Glorious during Easter. History We used The Story of the World last year and it was a family favorite all around! We are moving to Volume 2 this year. I use the student guide for extra reading, map work, and projects.Additionally, I'll be reading one story each week from American Tall Tales so they have a touch point with their national history. Geography We use the geography prompts in the SOTW above.I'll also pepper in Charlotte Mason's Elementary Geography. Nature Study/Science It's a water year for us! I'll be using Among the Pond People in the fall semester and Ocean Anatomy and Watercolor with Me in the spring. I picked up The Good and the Beautiful's Wind + Waves. We used their Little Hearts and Hands last year and it was a great resource to have on hand for days when I needed extra support (like when a kid was sick or the baby didn't sleep). Excited to have that in my back pocket again this year. Literature My fave! Well, alongside catechesis and history. We will ease into the first semester by revisiting A.A. Milne's When We Were Very Young. Aligned with our history studies, we will also read some Norse Myths!In the second semester, we will read a couple of Shakespeare plays (the kids have loved these—not yet sure if we will revisit old favorites, read new, or a combination of both).Our main focus this spring semester will be fairy tales. I've snagged some fairy tale picture books from Will Moses, and I have a couple of collections here at home I will pull from. (A note on finding books on fairy tales: be sure they are the original text, not adaptations!) Character Building I have some perfectionistic students (no idea where they got that 😬), so we are working on growth mindset with Mistakes that Worked.We will also be reading through A Book of Golden Deeds.In the spring semester, we will revisit Connoisseur Kids. We used it this year and it was a roaring success, so the kids want to go through it again! Artist Each year, we study two artists. In the fall we will study Van Eyck and use the picture studies from Simply Charlotte Mason. In the spring, we will deep dive Michelangelo. I'm pumped. We will use SCM's picture studies, along with The Stone Giant, Michelangelo for Kids, Mike Venezia's Michelangelo, and a giant coffee table book of his complete works. Composer As with the artists, I select two composers to study each year. In the fall, we will study Handel and, in the spring, Paganini.I'm an Opal Wheeler fan girl, so I just use her books. Mike Venezia has a book on Handel, too, so we will use that as well. Language I don't stress about this much yet. My energy is focused more on reading fluency at this stage and, with a toddler and baby, I don't have much overflow to devote to foreign language. I have Prima Latina and we will use those DVDs each week in "car school" when we drive a small distance to pick up our farm food and dairy. On Rhythms... Our family functions best with a rhythm rather than a strict schedule. But we typically begin around 9 a.m. (this gives us time for personal prayer, breakfast, morning chores, and getting ready).Typically, we school Monday-Thursday, as Fridays are set aside for errands, Mass, and cleaning. Weekly Loops With that, here are the family subjects we will loop throughout the week: Mondays || catechesis, character building, history, nature study, and composer Wednesdays || catechesis, character building, history, literature, and nature study Thursdays || catechesis, history, literature, and artist/drawing Like I mentioned, all of this will be tested by actually living it, and we will adjust as needed! I always enjoy reading other people's homeschool plans, so I hope this has brought you some entertainment and solidarity! God bless your new school year!
by Into the Deep
The Best Catholic Bible for Children
Telling our children the Story of Salvation History helps them understand God’s movement in the world since the beginning. Hearing the stories of God’s faithfulness from long ago reminds them that He is faithful to them now. Learning about the men and women God raised up to serve Him points to their call to be saints. Blessedly, many people have completed the task of making these stories accessible for kids of all ages. There is a variety of Catholic children’s Bibles on the market today, so how do we know which one(s) to choose? Should We Even Use a Catholic Children’s Bible? A preliminary consideration is whether or not we should even use a Children’s Bible. In short, yes… if it’s worthy. However, the actual Bible holds primacy always. Sacred Scripture is the actual Word of God, and our kids need to hear it. It is this Word that is living and effective, it is this Word that does not return to the Father void. Reading Sacred Scripture to our children plants the seeds deeply in their hearts. (This is why we always encourage reading from the actual Bible throughout our resources). Of course, our children hear the actual words of Sacred Scripture at every Mass, and they’ll hear them if your family plays the Liturgy of the Hours or a scriptural Rosary. I like to read from the actual Bible for our formal catechesis, and a Catholic Bible for children on our “off” days when we’re not doing Into the Deep. And of course, these are the Bibles that are pulled up on laps alongside toddlers, and the ones that get brought to Mass. Criteria I Use When Selecting a Catholic Bible for Children When combing through the options for Catholic children’s Bibles, I have a few criteria: It must be authentically Catholic. It must be beautifully-illustrated. It must engage the imagination. My Favorite Catholic Children’s Bibles My Big Book of Catholic Bible Stories This ranks as our favorite Catholic children’s Bible. Although its title implies that it is a collection of Bible stories, I find this to be a much more thorough and complete presentation of Scripture than other smaller collections of Bible stories (see more on those below). What we love: It includes the actual text of Scripture. It uses the NRSV-CE translation. Each story begins with a small blurb providing context of the story before the actual biblical text begins. The illustrations are beautiful. There are closing prayers, Catechism references, and fun facts. When I found this Bible, I thought it was a perfect companion to our full-year resources! The Catholic Bible for Children I am continually impressed with what Magnificat is putting out for children. This Bible is another thorough presentation of the Old and New Testaments. What we love: It is divided into chapters, which helps give some context and framework. The illustrations are engaging. It is written in a more narrative format rather than the exact Bible verses. The quality of the pages is high. With the Bible Through the Church Year I found this while thrifting one day and I hit the jackpot. I absolutely love this children’s Bible written by Father Richard Beron, OSB in 1953. We will begin using this one in the Fall. What we love: It is tied to the liturgical year. Beginning in Autumn, it walks through Advent, Christmas and Epiphany, Septuagesima, Lent, Holy Week, Easter, Pentecost, and Corpus Christi. Each section ends with a corresponding psalm, weaving the Psalms in much like the Mass. There are short descriptions of each liturgical season as you enter it. It is written in a very engaging narrative style. It’s the closest style I’ve found to The Jesus Storybook Bible (more on that below). This is an older book that is out of print. If you can’t find it on Amazon, check no Thriftbooks or Ebay! Catholic Bible Story Collections The following are not full children’s Bibles, but cover the major highlights of the Story of Salvation History. Read-Aloud Book of Bible Stories Another favorite in our household, these stories are beautifully-written and engaging. What we love: It is written in narrative format. The black and white sketches and artwork are more lifelike. It is a wonderful companion to the Advent calendar from Little Liturgy Press (a beloved tradition in our family each Advent). The Bible Story Written in 1957, this anthology of Bible stories reads like an epic. What we love: It is perfect for older readers and teens as it reads like a chapter book. There are not many illustrations, but the sketches are lovely. This is one I’ll have my kids read as they approach Confirmation as another review of the story God has been writing in the world since the beginning. My Catholic Picture Bible Stories From Ascension, this collection of Bible stories is great for younger kids. What we love: The illustrations are historically accurate. The stories are short (1 page), making it a great read for toddlers and younger children. While the illustration style is not my favorite, the hardcover is sturdy and thus gets brought to Mass with us. Tomie dePaola’s Book of Bible Stories If you love dePaola’s other work, you’ll love this. What we love: The hardcover version is less expensive and such high quality. Truly, this book is beautiful. Naturally, the illustrations are delightful and deep. The text is written in dePaola’s prose. I treat this like we do with any collection of stories (like Winnie the Pooh or Beatrix Potter)—I select a season in which we will read one story at a time during tea time or afternoon quiet time. It takes us a long time to move through that way since those are less frequent than Morning Time, but it’s a delight for all! What about the Jesus Storybook Bible? I really wish I could broadly recommend this Bible. The writing is beautiful and lyrical. It’s a favorite among Christians, and for good reason. What I particularly love about this Bible is that it shows how the New Testament lies hidden in the Old, and how the Old is fulfilled in the New. Jesus is the through-thread in this book, and it makes clear God’s plan for salvation since the Fall. However, I cannot broadly recommend this title because there are some inclusions that contradict Catholic Church teaching. I can remember two off the top of my head: During the Last Supper, the words read something like, “This is like my body…” Obviously, this is contrary to the doctrine on the Blessed Sacrament. In the narrative on the crucifixion, the author is clearly presenting the teaching of penal substitution. This is the belief that God’s wrath was poured out upon Jesus during His Passion and Death. That God the Father took all His fiery anger and directed it at Jesus. This belief is not the only view even among Protestants about the atonement but is particularly common in Calvinistic circles. This is not the teaching of the Catholic Church. When we read through this Bible, I self-edited these sections; however, because these subtleties can be easily missed, I cannot broadly recommend it for Catholic families. The Whole Point What matters most is that we share the Word of God with our children. Let the Word dwell in them richly, forming their consciences and inspiring them to the greatness for which they were created! What’s your favorite Catholic children’s Bible? Let us know in the comments! Ready to dive deeper? Here are 4 ways to fill your nets... 1. Memorize Bible verses with your children easily with our FREE guide: Stocking the Storehouses 2. Make your dreams of family prayer a reality with The Daily Feast framework, making it possible in just a few minutes a day. This free guide shows you how. 3. Want to steward your own prayer life? Check out this Scripture prayer journal we made just for you. 4. Looking to level-up in your family faith formation? Join over 10,000 families that use our resources. We make open-and-go, family-style resources to make your role as primary catechist easy AND delightful. Click here to browse!
by Into the Deep
What We Use for First Communion Prep
Preparing for First Communion is a beautiful experience for children and parents alike. Many children will receive their first Communions this spring and early summer, so naturally, preparation is on our minds. We want them to have a memorable encounter with the Eucharist. We want to do our part—inasmuch as we can—to prepare them for this intimacy with Jesus.
by Into the Deep
What Made Scott Hahn Become Catholic
What made Scott Hahn became Catholic? Two words: the Liturgy. Of course, there was more to it than that, but in The Lamb's Supper, he reveals why attending his first Catholic Mass was a major step toward communion with Rome. Scott Hahn walked into that parish as an interested but a slightly critical, casual observer. He left as a convert. Granted, he didn’t immediately drop everything and say “I want to be a Catholic!” But his conversion was largely founded upon his understanding of the biblical roots of the Mass.
by Into the Deep
How to Plan + Present a Catholic Hymn Study
“He who sings prays twice,” Saint Augustine once said. Singing—and understanding that which we sing—is vital for a deeper understanding of our own Faith. Sadly, many of today’s young Catholics are not acquainted with hymnals and rarely pull them out during the Mass. For us as parents, we have to opportunity to set an example of participation when it comes to singing.
