Power of an Hour

I've been enjoying what Donna Goff calls "Power of an Hour." This is one hour most days of the week which you spend with your family (specifically for homeschooling) in focused learning. She has a basic structure you can read about if you google her stuff, but I wanted to share how I'm implementing it in my family.

Each morning Monday-Friday we try to have a "Power Hour" together. If I do nothing else with my kids "academically" I'm set if I get this in.

We break the hour into about 15 minute segments but are very flexible according to child's interests and needs. And We normally call it blanket-time so the kids sit on their own blanket where they are to stay put; but we start it together doing a study, then alone for other parts of the hour, depending on the day and area or focus. So here's the basic outline:

Truth	Scripture	doctrine
Goodness	Classic/Character	virtue
Beauty	Creation	symbols
Express/Celebrate	Self	free-play

And each day looka a little different, but progresses in nature and varies by topic:

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Foundation	Nature/Poetry	Music	Art	Celebrate
Experience	Instruct	Repeat/Practice	Review/Summarize	Live & Love it!

So here is a description of each segment

Truth: Build Foundation with Scripture -- Eternal Truths

For now, we just pick one scripture story/section a week. Ethan keep's track of his learning and the stories and principles in his homemade "Plates of Ethan" with blank pages to draw, write, glue pictures in, etc. This format is very flexible and lets me do whatever story I want however I feel inspired to at that moment.

We did Lehi's Tree of Life Vision last week, so here's what it looked like.

Monday: Experience the story

I told him the story (paraphrasing, while still using the scripture language/verses as best I could) and we found a picture from a magazine to cut out and put in his "Plates of Ethan" he made to record stuff he's learning. Then we act it out and share it again at Family Home Evening that night with Dad and pull out the main principle/phrase to remember (and learn a primary song that goes along with it).

Tuesday: Recall/Explore

We went over 2-3 vocab words and practiced a few simple sight words in the main verses. I asked what he remembered.

Wednesday: Repetition and Practice (diligence)

We went over vocab and sight words again.

Thursday: Review/Summarize

We went over everything again, but then he drew what he wanted to capture what he learned that week.

Friday: Celebrate

Play a game or act out something from the story so it is remembered as fun and the pieces stick!

I've found that Ethan soaks up things when they are fun and not pressured and he's practically memorized some of these vocab words and verses just by having fun discussing and pulling them apart. And it really is for only 10 minutes or so each day.

Goodness: Observe Greatness in Others' -- Noble Virtues

Character/Values: We will typically introduce a character value each week. For now we are focusing on Character either using stories from Janeen Brady's Character Series or from Stephen Covey's 7 Habits for Highly Effective Kids Series. As they get older we will actually study biographies of real noble men and women.

Classics (Books): We will also be focusing regularly on a classic novel, but instead of reading it during this morning time we want the character study in the morning and the Classic book at night (Dad can read at bedtime a few nights a week). (Barnes and Noble has sixteen of their classics illustrated and compiled in easy, condensed format for children and they are beautiful! This is a great introduction to the classics for young kids that aren't ready for the complete classic.).

Other Classics (music, art, etc.): During the week we will introduce classical music, art and poetry too by one particular artist, musician, etc. on the particular day for that topic (see chart below).

Beauty: Explore and Learn from Nature -- Natural Laws

Math & Science: Each week we focus on some aspect of math or science (currently is is a weekly shape focus). And I will provide tools, books,and  toys that relate to that theme. For example: we've been studying lines, so I got lots of line books from the library and gathered various line tools (Popsicle sticks,  pipe cleaners, paper strips, string, etc.) and we explore one or more each day to gain a deeper understanding of all the ways lines are used. I like to use things he's familiar with that surround us already, rather than go buy specific items--but it takes my mental energy to gather ideas and these tools.

Nature (also bodies): Then we celebrate and play and always try to get outside at least a few time a week, no matter the weather. Not always the funnest for mom, but I don't always have to go out. And Ethan never minds going outside, so I will capitalize on that! This also includes doing scavenger hunts and doing movement and yoga type activities with our bodies to explore how these principles are found all around us and as part of us.

Free-Play is tied into Beauty, but also is just letting Ethan explore everything he's just learned in his own ways once the "Power Hour" is over. He normally is good for an hour of free-play after this, which gives me a nice break. :)

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